Many hand-sanitizer dispensers are running dry in health facilities across Island Health, but not because there is a shortage.
The question of half-empty and empty dispensers at hospitals was raised at a virtual town hall meeting. Island Health said hand sanitizer is not in short supply. Rather, the health authority has been unable to get cartridges 鈥� recyclable plastic bags that hold the sanitizer 鈥� for the dispensers from supplier DEB Group.
The wall-mounted dispensers require the user to push a bar to release a foaming cleanser.
There has been an exponential increase in demand for hand- hygiene and cleaning products since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, said William Masterson, a Chicago-based spokesman for S.C. Johnson & Son Inc., which owns the supplier.
A global shortage in May of raw materials 鈥� including medical-grade ethanol and components for the dispensing cartridges and packaging 鈥� have led to delays and, despite increased production, high demand has outstripped supply, Masterson said.
鈥淲e recently were able to secure additional raw material supplies and we鈥檝e increased production,鈥� he said, 鈥渟o we would expect supply levels to return to the increased amount that we ramped up to after the pandemic hit.鈥�
The company has told distributors to prioritize health-care facilities and first responders.
Island Health has placed hand-pump bottles of sanitizer throughout Victoria General Hospital and other facilities.
Masterson said the company is trying to ensure products are distributed equitably amongst customers.聽
