Oldham Council are focusing on PPE and testing as the keys to tackling the COVID-19 crisis.

Working with partners across the public sector, a PPE hub has been established at Oldham Civic Centre, from which much needed PPE is distributed to key workers.

Cllr Zahid Chauhan, Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care, said: “I would like to give a big thank you to everyone who has contributed to helping supply PPE in Oldham. Oldham is in a good position currently to support our vulnerable people and we would urge them to carry on helping where they can.

“I would also like to praise those wonderful staff in all the settings helping our most vulnerable at this difficult time.”

A new testing centre has also been set up at Failsworth Leisure Centre. Oldham is one of the leading boroughs when it comes to testing, focusing on health and social care staff and people in care homes. As a consequence the borough has identified more cases of COVID-19 than many other areas. This will enable the borough to ramp up tracing and reduce spread in the long term, leaving Oldham well prepared to build back better from the pandemic.