Stirling’s care home Covid death toll is 44
accelerated by lockdown because while people were pretending to wear masks during the first lockdown, that has pretty much gone now.”
Mr Duncan says his concerns are echoed by other business owners based in the city centre and also believes the continued issues are causing others to think twice about setting up in the city.
He wants decisive action to be taken by police ahead of visitors from across Scotland heading into the city as restrictions on retail and hospitality begin to be eased from Monday.
Mr Duncan added: “It’s a wider problem that I keep hearing about from
Figures have revealed that 44 Stirling care home residents have lost their lives to Covid since the beginning of the pandemic.
The data, which has been released by the Crown Office, highlights the true toll of the virus on some of Stirling’s most vulnerable people.
Twenty-nine deaths were revealed to have taken place in just two care homes - Fairview in Bannockburn and Annfield House in Stirling.
Fairview recorded a total of 16 fatalities, while Annfield House accounted for 13 deaths due to the virus.
Six other homes recorded at least one Covid-related death for the period after March 2020, with Blanefield Care Home and Randolph Hill Nursing Home in Dunblane reporting six and five respectively.
The final four deaths were split across Gowanlea in Bannockburn and Stirling-based Forthbank Nursing Home, Bellfield Centre and Ashlea House.
Fairview was hit by a major outbreak of the virus in November last year, with more than 40 residents and staff members testing positive at its peak.
The figures also reveal 40 care home residents also passed away due to the virus in Clackmannanshire, with more than half of the deaths attributed to the Orchard Care Home in Tullibody.
That home accounted for 21 deaths after being struck by a major Covid outbreak in May 2020, with the daughter of one of those who lost their life in the outbreak threatening legal action over the policy of discharging Covid-positive patients to care homes.
The other Covid deaths in Clackmannanshire saw 12 linked to Hillview in Sauchie, six to Beechwood Park in Sauchie and one at Parklands in Alloa.
Annemargaret Black, chief officer of Clackmannanshire and Stirling Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “Our staff have worked in partnership with care home managers and teams to put in place all appropriate control measures to help stop the spread of the highly infectious Covid-19 virus, including for any resident who tests positive.
“We also carry out regular visits and provide support with staff training, Covid-19 testing, the use of PPE and infection control measures.”
Meanwhile, industry body Scottish Care pointed the finger at a lack of support offered to care homes at the beginning of the pandemic.
A statement from Scottish Care said: “This data demonstrates the terrible toll which has been felt by those who live, visit loved ones, and work in care homes as a result of coronavirus. However, whilst the numbers tell us one story, there are many things which they do not communicate.
“We very much regret that due care and attention was not paid in sufficient depth to the needs of the care sector when compared to the preparation given to and focus upon the NHS. Social care as a whole was let down in the early stages of the pandemic, not least by the failures to introduce testing of staff and residents earlier.”