EDMONTON -- The University of Alberta has joined chemistry departments around the world to help produce hand sanitizer.

A team of local professors created more than 200 litres of hand sanitizer in a few hours, using the recipe provided by the world health organization.

The first batch will be for university employees, but the next batches are for those who need I,-including first responders. They were inspired by universities around the world, and have since inspired others

"I don't want to say it's viral because it's a poor choice of words, but it's contagious,” said U of A chemistry professor Jonathan Veinot. “You're watching the whole chemistry community do this. Scientists can sometimes be intimidating, people thinking we're in our own little corners, but we're trying, we're contributing."

The team is planning to make another batch this Friday, and will continue as long as needed.