FINDLAY, Ohio — While classes are fully online and most students are off campus, the faculty of the University of Findlay's college of pharmacy are finding ways to help their community.
The University of Findlay college of pharmacy usually has an average of 300 students attending classes and in and out of labs daily.
But with classes now fully online, the supplies in these labs have sat unused for nearly a month.
The few students remaining and the faculty here have figured a way to put these chemicals to good use.
"They've come together and used the supplies that we have to actually compound FDA approved version of hand sanitizer to distribute out to the community," said Debra Parker, dean of the college of pharmacy at the University of Findlay.
Ingredients used in the mixture include a high concentration of isopropyl alcohol, glycerin, hydrogen peroxide and distilled water.
The hand sanitizer they make has a shorter shelf life than commercial brands, so they've been making small batches, and delivering directly to the Blanchard Valley Health System, local pharmacies and the Findlay Fire Department.
A good deed for all involved from a relatively simple procedure.
"I think all of us in our day to day lives take hand sanitizer for granted. And here, this activity, this exercise that we've taught our students how to do, we've taught in summer camp that many of our faculty have done in the past suddenly took on a whole new level of importance," said Parker.
Parker also said their lab has been in contact with another smaller local health system that may be willing to purchase the supplies for the University of Findlay to make more hand sanitizer if that health system runs out.