Leicester anti-bacterial firm switches to making hand sanitiser due to coronavirus panic buying

by Molly Kerridge

A firm in Leicester that produces an anti-bacterial chemical has started to create hand sanitiser to meet the demands during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Micro-Fresh normally manufactures a liquid that can be added to products to prevent odour and pathogenic bacteria.

The company decided to switch to making a 66% alcohol hand sanitizer for retailers after they received “inundated requests”.

Due to the demand for the product, the firm hopes to employ a further 20 people, as it currently has only 12 employees.

Jigna Varu, from Micro-Fresh, said the firm first produced a sample of 2,000 litres last Friday (MAR13) and now have another 10,000 litres to order.

Ms Varu said: “Coronavirus has made people more aware now about bacteria and viruses on surfaces and around us.

“The pandemic feels like a dream, but there is no need to panic buy.

“There’s a lot of community spirit in Leicester – customers have offered to help us produce the sanitiser to manage the demand.”

Ms Varu explained the hand sanitiser requests came after a demand for high alcohol content aerosol sprays for businesses and schools to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

She said: “Once it is sprayed in the room you get an anti-bacterial coating on any surface – desks, telephones, all areas where you get high volumes of bacteria.”

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