More than three million items of personal protective equipment (PPE) have been delivered to local organisations by Staffordshire County Council so far.

Emergency supplies of gloves, masks, gowns, aprons, safety glasses and visors have been distributed to care homes, care agencies carrying out home visits, schools, places of worship and to frontline council staff.

Biddulph Nub News reported previously how local businesses were urged to access free PPE starter kits by the authority.

The support was intended for "micro-businesses", meaning any business with nine employees or less, who either work in close contact with the public, or in a confined space that makes social distancing difficult.

The packs contained 30 face masks and 25 pairs of gloves, and were offered to businesses who applied on the county council's website.

Johnny McMahon, Staffordshire County Council's Cabinet member for Health, Care and Wellbeing, said: "At the beginning of this crisis we promised we would do all we could to keep people safe.

"Care providers have been sourcing their own supplies wherever possible but demand for PPE outstripped supply at the beginning and there have been moments since where stock hasn't arrived on time and we've stepped in to ensure continuity of care.

"Council staff have been magnificent, often working seven days a week during the worst of the national shortages to ensure Staffordshire got the PPE it needed.

"Only last week someone had just got home in the evening when we had an urgent call from someone whose scheduled delivery hadn't arrived.

"They went back to the stores and then drove to Tamworth there and then so that someone seriously ill could continue receiving the care they needed."

Since lockdown began the estimated cost to Staffordshire County Council of dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic has been placed at more than £50 million.

Cllr McMahon added: "Although restrictions are easing, we have seen recently that Covid-19 is still with us in Staffordshire.

"It's vital that we still use common sense and follow the hygiene and social distancing advice to contain the virus."