As communities across the nation come together to help flatten the curve and avoid rampant spread of the COVID-19 virus, one of Chicago’s original distilleries is pitching in.
According to Koval’s Facebook page, the company “has been in contact with Chicago city officials as well as medical professionals to offer our services in producing hand sanitizers. Furthermore, in anticipation of the need, we already have on order the necessary ingredients, as recommended by the World Health Organization.
“Until just a few minutes ago however, it was actually a federal offense to produce hand sanitizer; Distilleries with a license to produce alcohol for consumption were not allowed to make alcohol for anything else. Luckily, the TTB has now released all such federal restrictions.”
The company will focus on producing and distributing the hand sanitizer in the coming weeks and months, though it won’t be available to the general public. The statement goes on to say that the company plans to distribute the hand sanitizer to those “on the front lines in this war against COVID-19,” e.g. residents of nursing homes and medical professionals.
It’s a generous gesture from the local business that’s admittedly looking “forward to a day when we can once again focus on spritzers over sanitizers.”
Contributing article from our colleagues at NBC Sports Chicago.
