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Health / SIC depute leader says health and wellbeing of care home residents of ‘utmost importance’

THE DEPUTE leader of Shetland Islands Council has moved to reassure people over the level of care being provided in the isles’ care homes after two residents tested positive for coronavirus.

North mainland councillor and depute leader Emma Macdonald. Photo: Chris Cope/Shetland News

Councillor Emma Macdonald also paid tribute to staff working during a “very difficult time for everyone”.

On Saturday (28 March) NHS Shetland confirmed that two residents of a care home had tested positive for Covid-19, as well as an unconnected patient at Gilbert Bain Hospital.

It brought the total number of confirmed cases in Shetland to 27.

Macdonald moved to reassure people that staff at care homes are equipped with personal protective equipment and that the safety and wellbeing of residents is of the “utmost importance”.

“I understand that families are likely to be anxious about the health of loved ones who live in our care homes or receive care at home services,” she said.

“I would like to reassure everyone that residents and service users’ safety and wellbeing is of the utmost importance to us. We have stringent measures in place to shield all our clients, including the appropriate use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and we are monitoring this very closely.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to our staff, who are doing such fantastic work in these settings. This is a very difficult time for everyone, and I applaud their dedication.”

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