CORNING, NY (WSKG) - Local distilleries are providing hand sanitizer to hospitals amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hospitals need more hand sanitizer than their usual distributors can provide due to the high-demand caused by COVID-19. Some whiskey producers turned their products and equipment into make-shift ethanol-based hand sanitizer production facilities.
Waterman’s Distillery in Apalachin is working to produce hundreds of gallons to deliver to Broome, Tioga and Tompkins counties beginning Monday.
“Our goal here is to not become, you know, wealthy off of a tragedy,” said Michelle Alig, co-owner of Waterman's Distillery. “Our goal here is to help our community.”
Cayuga Health System, Arnot Health and Guthrie all need to stock their facilities with hand sanitizer.* The demand is up to three times higher than usual.
Brian McKenzie, who owns Finger Lakes Distilling in Burdett, said it has 100 gallons of product to supply area hospitals. He is also looking to make it available to the general public.
Around the state there are 39 distilleries that are making hand sanitizer for their communities.
*Full Disclosure: Cayuga Health System, Arnot Health and Guthrie are all WSKG underwriters.