Two new supports have been launched today for people with heart conditions to cope through the Covid-19 emergency.
The Irish Heart Foundation has set up a helpline that will be manned by nurses, while also a closed Facebook group for people to get advice has been launched.
People with heart issues are being advised to cocoon for the next couple of months as the spread of coronavirus continues.
Lucinda McInerney, from the Irish Heart Foundation, said it is a very difficult time.
Ms McInerney said: "You're worried about contracting covid, but also you're worried about maintaining the good health that you have at the moment.
"So we are trying to help patients self-manage as best as possible so that we keep well.
"I myself am a heart patient as well, so I understand the difficulty when you are at home and you are thrown out of your normal routine."
Ms McInerney also outlined the many issues facing people with heart problems.
She said: "The biggest difficulty is being lonely. It is worry that if they get sick, will they be okay? which I think is what all of us, I don't think there is any of us that aren't worried about that, so it's just about how will they keep well.
"What will they do to keep themselves motivated at home to keep themselves well?"
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