Matt Driscoll, distiller at Spirit of York distillery in Toronto, makes a new batch of hand sanitizer (AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES)
Due to the rapidly evolving Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, we understand that it is becoming difficult to access alcohol-based hand sanitizers. We are also aware of reports that some companies are producing hand sanitizers for personal use, such as Distilleries. Although the Postal Service lacks information on the methods being used to prepare such products and whether they are safe for use, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a policy for Temporary Compounding of Certain Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer Products: https://www.fda.gov/media/136118/download.
Because of the public health emergency caused by COVID-19, the FDA does not intend to take action against compounders that prepare alcohol-based hand sanitizers for consumer use for the duration of the public health emergency. Therefore, due to the lack of hand sanitizing liquids available to the Postal Service, hand sanitizer formulated by independent sources can be used if they meet the following FDA requirements: