Greek pharmaceutical industries are starting the mass production of antiseptic solution to cover the increasing needs of the country’s national healthcare system fighting the new coronavirus.

The companies are cooperating with the country’s public revenue authority, AADE, who agreed to release large quantities of confiscated bottles of counterfeit alcohol held in warehouses to be used as raw material.

The companies that were approved by authorities to participate in the production of antiseptics are ELPEN, Pharmathen, IASIS Pharmaceuticals Hellas, Lavipharm, Help Pharmaceuticals, Unipharma και Rafarm.

Soap maker Papoutsanis may also become involved in the initiative by making available its production and bottling facilities but also its pump bottles which are also in short supply.

The shortage in the supply of ethanol is one reason for the major shortages observed in the market. The other is, of course, the jump in demand and the hoarding by individuals and legal entities concerned about the outbreak of the epidemic.

This article was originally published at ekathimerini.com.