Glasgow deaths at care facility

SEVEN JEWISH residents in a Glasgow area care home have died from coronavirus.

The seven were among 14 deaths at Westacres, an East Renfrewshire home with a Jewish ethos, which has experienced a cluster of suspected Covid-19 cases.

Newark Care, which operates Westacres, said three of the Jews who died were aged 100 or over. Three were in their 90s, the other in their 80s.

Westacres, which currently has 18 residents, is “essentially in isolation in line with Scottish government guidance”, said Newark Care chief executive Jack Ryan.

Without wishing to tempt fate, “we have had no new suspected infections for over a fortnight”.

Thanking the Jewish community for its support, Mr Ryan said there had been financial contributions and practical donations such as hand sanitiser and PPE.

Two weeks ago, Newark Care ran dangerously low on PPE and was reliant on donations.

Paul Edlin, head of the Glasgow Jewish Representative Council, said Scotland’s Jewish communities had “come together magnificently” during the crisis, highlighting a major volunteering effort in Glasgow. “I knew the community was close but I hadn’t expected it would react in this way. Everybody has helped.”

On Monday, a motion introduced into the Scottish Parliament congratulated Jewish volunteers in East Renfrewshire.

Ephraim Borowski, director of the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities (SCoJeC), added: “We went into emergency response pretty quickly. Volunteer groups are still helping out with shopping deliveries and picking up prescriptions. They are pretty well organised.” The Scottish government awarded SCoJeC £4,500 during Pesach to support its pandemic response.

SCoJeC has set up a 24-hour information helpline and Jewish Care Scotland has also played a key role. However, Mr Borowski warned: “We help people we know about but it comes back to who did we not know about. Who fell through the cracks?”