STAFF at the Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH) joined a minute’s silence for frontline workers who have died while tackling the Covid-19 pandemic.

People from across Renfrewshire, Scotland and the UK paused for a minute in tribute to the sacrifice made by those in roles ranging from doctors and nurses to carers, cleaners, porters and bus drivers.

The minute’s silence to honour those who have lost their lives on the frontline followed a campaign from Unison, the Royal College of Midwives and the Royal of College of Nursing.

Dorothy McErlean, employee director at NHSGGC, said: “Today is International Workers’ Day which is particularly poignant in light of the current pandemic and the heroic effort of frontline workers to combat the virus.

"These are unprecedented times and staff have responded magnificently to the situation, and have been there throughout to take care of those who need us the most during this challenging period.

“However, along the way people have sadly lost their lives fighting the virus, and that’s why we observed a minute’s silence across Greater Glasgow and Clyde today – to commemorate those people, who died helping others.

“They will be remembered forever as playing a crucial role in the fight against COVID-19 and their memories will live on through all healthcare staff across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

“Today’s silence should act as a reminder for everyone to continue following guidelines. We know it can be hard not to see family and loved ones as we would normally have, but it’s absolutely crucial we follow social distancing guidelines just now, so that we can continue to tackle the pandemic and create a safe future for everybody.”