FOUR residents at an East Renfrewshire care home have died of suspected Covid-19 as staff warn they would run out of safety masks by Monday.

Westacres, in Newton Mearns, confirmed the residents died over a period of more than two weeks and were aged 91, 98, 101 and 104.

Each of them had other health issues.

As there is no current testing of residents or staff in nursing homes, their deaths can only be recorded as due to "suspected" coronavirus.

Jack Ryan, CEO of Newark Care, the charity which runs Westacres, told the Barrhead News each of the four residents had slight temperatures and that was enough to be classed as suspected cases.

He added: "We desperately want testing to help allay fears amongst our staff. None of the residents displayed full-blown symptoms but had slightly raised temperatures.

"We would really like to know ourselves. It would be so much better if they were entitled to a test."

Mr Ryan said national guidance changed at 5pm on Thursday, meaning all care home staff could wear masks if they felt this was "appropriate."

But when he contacted East Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) on Friday, he said they had not been formally told of that advice, so there would be no additional personal protective equipment (PPE) made available.

A spokesman for the HSCP, after being contacted by the Barrhead News, said: “We’ll be in touch with the home and arrange for PPE supplies to be provided on Saturday.”

Mr Ryan said: "We are struggling to get stock to staff. Every member of staff is concerned.

"We don't control testing or PPE, the government does. We cannot even buy supplies for staff.

"The government made the announcement without telling stakeholders that we need these masks."

Any care professional visiting someone with suspected symptoms would need a new mask each time they go into the room, making it "very resource intensive," said Mr Ryan.

Westacres, which has space for 38 residents and is currently home to 31, received top marks from the Care Inspectorate in September.

There are no suspected cases of coronavirus at Newark Care's other care home in Burnfield, Giffnock.

The home locked down almost a month ago, before the UK Government introduced restrictions on movement.

Some of the more than 60 staff at Westacres have had to self-isolate in recent weeks with possible symptoms but there is no access to testing to confirm if they must be off work.

Mr Ryan said the staff who can't work are then "filled with guilt" at not being able to look after their residents.

He added: "They build a relationship with residents. We are living in their home, this is their house.

"Staff all have anxieties. We are constantly trying to encourage them and keep morale up. We have to continue to work with them and let them see the work they're doing is as important as the NHS we applaud on Thursdays.

"It's an incredible struggle for families. We keep relatives up to do and I write personal updates to them every week."