Pat Kenny 'doesn't want' unvaccinated healthcare worker who confronted him to lose job

The Newstalk presenter was filmed as he was accosted by the self-described unvaccinated healthcare worker while out for a walk.

In the video, Mr Kenny is seen walking through a park with his headphones on when the man asks him why he said those not vaccinated should not be working in healthcare roles dealing with patients, directly.

The healthcare worker, who recorded the exchange and then posted it on the social media platform Tik Tok, challenged the former Late Late Show host initially by saying, “do I look crazy to you? You call me crazy on the national radio. I work for the national health service, and I haven’t been vaccinated.”

To which Mr Kenny replied, “why not?”

Over the next two minutes the healthcare worker argues that he does not need to be vaccinated because the “virus is being spread all the time”.

Kenny attempts to explain why he made the comments and why he believes healthcare workers should be vaccinated.

Pat (73) said yesterday: “I was out for a walk and this guy approached me.

“He identified as someone working for the HSE and said I was going to cost him his job because he didn’t want to be vaccinated.”

The presenter said he does not want the man to lose his job despite his views but clarified his position that he doesn’t want him to be near patients.

The man said: “I’ve a mortgage to pay and you want me to lose my job.”

Pat replied: “No I don’t. I’m saying they will redeploy you away from patient facing areas.”

He added later: “I don’t want that guy to lose his job. I don’t want him necessarily mixing with patients, whether they are Covid patients or any other kind.

“When you’re in a patient-to-patient situation, you have to be as protected as you can with PPE, hopefully boosted and vaccinated.

“You do the best you can and with the best will in the world you still might end up being infected but you have to do the best you can for yourself.

“I don’t think I called him crazy… what I may have said is ‘that is crazy’ to reject something.

“I can’t remember. I haven’t looked back on the video myself.”