A pair of local distilleries keeps churning out sanitizers at a breakneck pace in the continued fight against coronavirus.

Eight Oaks Farm Distillery in New Tripoli planned to ramp up production of the sanitizer at an even greater rate, according to founder and CEO Chad Butters, who posted an update on YouTube earlier this month.

“At the heart of everything that we do is our commitment to help make our community a better place, and it was in that spirit that we started this hand sanitizer project about a week and a half ago,” he said. “Over the last week and a half we’ve learned an immense amount, not the least of which is how critically short the supplies truly are of this hand sanitizer product.”

Since then, Butters said they’ve heard from everyone around the nation, such as first responders, fire, police, EMS, health care workers, United States Postal Service, sanitation workers, truck drivers and more.

“These are all people that are on the front lines helping to keep our society moving in really, really desperate times,” he said. “So, it’s with that sense of urgency that we redouble our efforts on hand sanitizer and try to get it out as quickly as we can.”

Butters said the distillery intends to produce about 12,000 bottles a day, “and getting this out to those that critically need it as quickly as we possibly can. We’re going to focus on our four counties that surround us, Lehigh County, Carbon County, Schuylkill County and Northampton County, and we’ll especially focus on those mission-critical organizations, these front-line folks and getting this hand sanitizer into their hands as quickly as possible.”

Butters said there are simple ways for those who may be under a shelter at home order to help do their part.

“Stay at home, wash your hands, use soap and water and save the sanitizer for these front-line individuals that are out there making a difference every single day trying to make life as normal as it can be for all of us,” he said. “We really appreciate their efforts, and we appreciate everybody’s sacrifice in these times.”

Butters said they can also donate by going to eightoaksdistillery.com, noting that every dollar helps.

“We’re committed to continuing this hand sanitizer project until it simply is no longer needed,” he said. “So, we’ll continue to do this until the mission is complete.”

Butters thanked “the crew and our entire community for stepping up in these times. We’ve had countless businesses that are helping with anything from providing a forklift, providing trucks, providing bottles, just providing support; individuals that are donating, and countless comments and cheers and support and just letting us know that you’re behind us and you’re here.

“So we really sincerely, sincerely appreciate that,” he said. “We’ll continue to do this task until the job’s done.”

It’s been much the same at Insurrection Distillery LLC in Lehighton, which continues to generate sanitizers to be donated to first responders.

Since March 20, co-owner Anthony Serafino said Insurrection Distillery has made nearly 400 gallons of surface sanitizer, and about 30 gallons of hand sanitizer.

“We’re still doing it as much as we possibly can,” Serafino said. “We’ll be running the still again this week to make more of the product for the sanitizer.”

Serafino said the distillery is in fairly good shape with the number of spray bottles for the product.

“We have some more being shipped on the way,” he said.

Serafino said the business is giving the sanitizers to local first responders, as well as out-of-the-area first responders.

“We’re not selling it,” he said. “We’re just giving it away to first responders, health care workers.” (Health care workers must bring in their work badges.)

Serafino said many local businesses have donated to assist the distillery in its endeavor.

The distillery encourages everyone to visit its Facebook page for daily updates, and said that those who assist are being recognized on the page.