Alcohol Entrepreneurs Asked To Switch Alcohol Production For Hand Sanitizers
JAKARTA - Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) Tito Karnavian asked companies that produce liquor to switch efforts to make hand sanitizers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is needed to increase the stock of hand sanitizers on the market. Because, if the hand sanitizer is scarce, there will be unscrupulous people who use it by increasing the selling price.
The transfer of production from alcohol to hand sanitizer is considered appropriate because both are alcohol-based which can kill germs, bacteria, and viruses.
"Chemical companies, home industries that were previously used for drinks, for wine, palm wine, rat stamp, have stopped (producing) those drinks. Switch to making alcohol as an antiseptic sanitizer," said Tito in a live broadcast uploaded on the Ministry of Home Affairs' YouTube Livestreaming. , Friday, April 17th.
Tito assessed that alcohol could be a weapon to kill the corona virus which is endemic in Indonesia. The condition is that the alcohol must have a content above 65 percent, then it has been formulated in the form of sanitizers and antiseptics.
"The Chinese health commission, they have conducted research (that) the virus is not strong with 70 to 73 percent alcohol or ethanol. Then, (the virus) is also not strong with disinfectants that contain bleach, and is not strong with harsh acids like carbon," he explained. he.
Furthermore, Tito also said that the palm oil industry could also help the production of corona virus cleaning kits. This is because the virus originating from Wuhan will die if you wash it with water-soluble soap, detergent, or shampoo.
With the high production of palm oil in Indonesia, Tito is confident that producers will have quite lucrative business opportunities. This is because cleaning equipment is a necessity that has urgency in Indonesia.
"This is a tremendous business potential to help our economy. Therefore, the President has ordered any domestic industry so that it can be verified as making tools for this 'war', as well as seizing domestic business opportunities," said Tito.