Austin, Texas-based vodka manufacturer Tito’s Handmade Vodka had to take to Twitter to inform people to stop using their vodka as hand sanitizer as fears about the coronavirus outbreak have caused supplies of hand sanitizer and rubbing alcohol to dwindle.
On Thursday, a user replied to a tweet by Tito’s Vodka with the comment, “I made some hand sanitizer out your vodka. The hand sanitizer doesn’t taste bad either. Cheers to Tito’s vodka. Keeping me germ-free and feeling good at the same time.”
Tito’s Vodka replied within three minutes, telling the customer “Per the CDC, hand sanitizer needs to contain at least 60% alcohol. Tito’s Handmade Vodka is 40% alcohol, and therefore does not meet the current recommendation of the CDC. Please see attached for more information.”
The Tito’s Vodka account attached a screenshot with text that reads, “Per the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “washing hands with soap and water is the best way to get rid of germs in most situations. If soap and water are not readily available, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. You can tell if the sanitizer contains at least 60% alcohol by looking at the product label.”
“Tito’s handmade vodka is 40% alcohol, and therefore does not meet the current recommendation of the CDC,” the text concludes.
Per the CDC, hand sanitizer needs to contain at least 60% alcohol. Tito's Handmade Vodka is 40% alcohol, and therefore does not meet the current recommendation of the CDC. Please see attached for more information. pic.twitter.com/OMwR6Oj28Q
— TitosVodka (@TitosVodka) March 5, 2020
The top reply to Tito’s PSA read “Please increase the alcohol content of your Vodka to help combat coronavirus, thank you.”
Please increase the alcohol content of your Vodka to help combat coronavirus, thank you.
— Daniel Walters (@danielwinvw) March 5, 2020
Tito Beveridge, the creator of Tito’s Handmake Vodka, can be seen telling the story of the company below: