India bans export of alcohol-based hand sanitizers amid COVID-19 pandemic

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has banned the export of alcohol-based hand sanitizers in an order on Wednesday with immediate effect. India had on March 24 banned the export of sanitizers. The latest move comes in the wake of the mounting toll of COVID-19 cases and deaths in India, which have skyrocketed in the last couple of days.

Hand sanitizer is one of the most important guards against getting infected with COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel Coronavirus. Doctors have recommended rubbing the liquid on hands as often as possible to disinfect it before one touches their face.

So far, 49,391 people in the country have been confirmed of being infected with COVID-19, of which 14,183 patients have recovered while 1,694 people have succumbed to the disease. India has hastened its research and development into developing a vaccine to treat COVID-19 as are several other nations.