Ireland's prime minister re-registers as a doctor to help during coronavirus pandemic

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar is going back to his roots, with his office announcing on Sunday that once a week, he will work as a doctor in order to help patients during the coronavirus pandemic.

Varadkar spent seven years as a doctor, leaving the profession in 2013 when he became a politician. His office said he re-registered as a physician in March, and The Irish Times reports he will be assessing people over the phone, talking to them about their symptoms before they go to the hospital.

"Many of his family and friends are working in the health service," Varadkar's spokesman said. "He wanted to help out even in a small way." His father was a general practitioner, his mother was a nurse, and his partner is a cardiologist.

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Ireland's health minister has asked former health care professionals to re-register and help staff up Ireland's Health Service Executive, and 70,000 people have responded, Reuters reports.