Athlone conference to examine impact of Covid-19 on society

The societal impact of Covid-19 is the focus of a national research ethics conference taking place tomorrow, Thursday, at the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) in Athlone.

The conference – titled 'The Effects of the Pandemic on Society' – will bring together speakers across a broad range of areas, including psychology, public health, statistics, medicine, and academia, and will examine the role of research at the height of the pandemic.

Speaking ahead of the conference, Dean of Graduate Studies and Research at TUS Dr Márie Brophy said, "Covid-19 has brought seismic shifts to many aspects of our lives, including a profound effect on health provision and on the lives of those working in health care.

"This conference delves into many of these areas and gives us the important opportunity to reflect on how we can incorporate this new knowledge and understanding into our future."

Guest speakers for the event will include Prof Cecily Kelleher, chair of public health medicine and epidemiology, University College Dublin (UCD); John Flanagan and Gerard O’Reilly, Central Statistics Office (CSO); Prof Shaun O’Keeffe, Galway University Hospitals, and Orla Keegan, Irish Hospice Foundation.

"We have endeavoured to cover all aspects of the pandemic, ranging on topics that reflect issues related to the societal impact of Covid-19, student nurses and their experiences of delivering care during this time, the challenges around continuity and connection and the effects on mental health," said Dr Mary McDonnell-Naughton, chair of the Research Ethics Committee at TUS and conference chair.

Academics from across the disciplines of engineering, science, nursing, and healthcare at TUS, as well as staff working in student counselling, and teaching and learning, will also present at the conference and discuss the impact of Covid-19 within their respective areas.

The event is free to attend, with registration in advance via Eventbrite.