Background information

Latvijas balzams, the largest producer of alcoholic beverages in Latvia, soon after the COVID-19 pandemic reached Latvia, started to produce hand and surface sanitizer. The product is called Virudes. It was prepared in line with the recommendations from the World Health Organisation. Latvijas Balzams is one of several companies that started to produce disinfectants.

Content of measure

Reacting on the lack of availability of disinfectants in the country, Latvijas balzams, the producer of alcohol beverages, started to produce hand and surface sanitizer late in the March 2020. The sanitizer in the beginning was sold in 4 litres cans, but later the company added other solutions to product line up – 1 litre bottle and spray. The company planned the output at about 6 tons a day, but due to high demand in short time the company reoriented their manufacturing and increased capacity to 20 - 30 tons a day.

Although the availability of disinfectants is no longer a problem, the company continues to produce it.

Use of measure

No information to report.

Contents

• Other topics

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Does not apply to businesses	Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
Company / Companies	No special funding required

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement	No involvement as case not in social partner domain
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: Company level

Involvement

No involvement.

Views and reactions

No specific views to report.

Sectors and occupations

This case is not occupation-specific.

Sources

• 19 March 2020: "Latvijas balzams" will start producing hand disinfectant (www.lsm.lv)
• 24 March 2020: Latvijas balzams increases disinfectant production capacity; distributors are ready (jauns.lv)