Commodities are fungible, have multiple uses. This includes Ethanol, to wit unaged whiskey. In addition to being a raw material for sipping whiskey, it can be used has hand sanitizer and more motor fuel. In the midst of the Chinese Wuflu pandemic, we need more of the former and less of the latter.
So I suggest federal government waive some the requirement to use ethanol and direct its use for medical purposes. We have the authority, from Watts Up with That [1]:
There is considerable pressure being applied on the government to increase the ethanol mandate and blend more ethanol in our gasoline. But, the technical problems with this action and the risks to engines have prevented this from happening. The statutory volume requirements have not been met since 2013 (Congressional Research Service 2019). The EPA has the authority to waive the statutory requirements and has used this authority. Technology cannot be legislated, whether it is E15 gasoline or switchgrass cellulosic ethanol. According to the Congressional Research Service:
We have the ability to end our self made shortage of hand sanitizer. Using ethanol to kill the Wuflu virus will save lives. Let us do it.