PROTECTIVE masks and goggles are being delivered to care homes across Wirral after the council received a delivery of stock.

Thousands of items of the much-needed personal protective equipment is now distributed to frontline staff.

In addition to Government supplies which arrived over the bank holiday weekend, the authority ordered directly from suppliers, including tens of thousands from China.

The equipment ranges from masks and gloves to goggles to other personal protective equipment needed to protect wearers from infection.

It is needed by some in adult social care including care homes, personal assistants, home care, and supported living, who work closely with people who are confirmed or suspected Covid-19 cases.

The Council’s move to urgently obtain more supplies is in response to concerns from parts of the care sector that they were unable to obtain the protective equipment needed for their staff.

Graham Hodkinson, Wirral’s director of adult social care, said: "We have worked around the clock to obtain the personal protective equipment our frontline staff need.

"We work closely with the care homes in our borough and we know they have been worried about having the necessary PPE to do their jobs.

"This is why we have gone outside the normal supply chains and sought out the equipment which we are getting out to them urgently.

"It is crucial that our care homes receive this PPE as they are a key part of the frontline in the battle against coronavirus and they deserve our total support."

The PPE supplies are being distributed from the Council's supply hub to the care sector across the borough.