Distilleries around the country are now following other companies and universities to assist the fight against COVID-19 by converting their whiskey and gin into hand sanitizers that are safe to use.
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Here at Techtimes, we previously reported about how Whisky can help disinfect COVID-19 traces by only 30% alcohol solution. Also, we reported about the universities making their contributions to benefit society, which is now garnering attention worldwide and pushing others to follow.
Distillers Who Now Joined The Fight Against COVID-19
Eight Oaks recently converted its production line from producing whiskey and vodka to hand sanitizers that the public and medical practitioners to use due to the high demand of sanitizers and low supply.
The company is handing out its hand sanitizers to local nonprofits and community members in exchange for a donation to continue what they do without thinking about profits but rather to maintain a constant supply of hand sanitizers.
Distilleries in Portland, Oregon, all the way to Durham, North Carolina, are making hand sanitizers as well to help with the high demand.
Los Angeles based spirits maker, Amass, is selling "alcohol-based hand wash" right on their website right beside their dry gin and Copenhagen Vodka. Amass is now going to call the product "hand sanitizer" instead to avoid confusion.
Morgan McLachlan, Amass co-founder and CEO said, "It needed to go to market immediately,"
The idea was also from McLachlan when she was trying to find hand sanitizers in the markets but found none and is already eight months pregnant. The company itself is ready to jump to a different kind of demand, so the switch wasn't that hard for them.
Tito's Handmade Vodka was one of the companies that warned the public to be wary of using alcohol-based hand sanitizers, but only on Sunday has said that they are working on their production of hand sanitizers.
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How Were They Able To Convert Their Alcohol To Sanitizers?
They either use excess alcohol from their supply or halting the production of their spirits altogether. This can be done by containing the spirits with less acidic mixtures and even aloe vera. There are various means of creating hand sanitizers, and distilleries and breweries are in an abundant supply of, you guessed it, alcohol.
Government Recommendations for Hand Sanitizers
The Food and Drug Administration for public usage will be and should be inspected before commercial use. Even the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends hand sanitizers to contain at least 60 percent alcohol.
Even the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau has given the go signal for companies that manufacture alcohol to produce hand sanitizers in light of recent events due to the coronavirus and the lack of supply from major distributors.
The FDA said last week that they wouldn't take any action against companies that produce alcohol-based sanitizers for commercial use and health-care personnel.
If the distilleries are using their manufacturing powers for a profit or genuinely helping humanity fight the spread of the coronavirus, it is a good show that any company or business can convert their efforts into something that can contribute humanity. This shows genuine human ingenuity.
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