In early December 2019, a cluster of viral pneumonias presented to medical services in Wuhan, China 1, 2. The virus was subsequently identified as the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) 3 . COVID-19 spread rapidly from Wuhan to other cities throughout China, leading to significant morbidity and mortality and an unprecedented strain on the delivery of essential medical services 4 . The first case of COVID-19 in the Republic of Ireland was reported on March 1 st, 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a lockdown of non-essential services and significant challenges to the national healthcare system, with the closure of elective and day case procedures and outpatient clinics.
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