Mom Says Her Son Got "Caught" Selling Hand Sanitizer At School For 60¢ Per Squirt

One mom in the United Kingdom is less than thrilled with her son after he was caught selling hand sanitizer by the squirt to his classmates amid the ongoing novel coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak. Earlier this week, Jenny Tompkins from Leeds shared a photo of her teenage son on Facebook after he'd been sent home from school for his, umm, questionable business practices.

"This is a picture of my teenage son just getting in from school," Tompkins captioned a photo of her son's back in a now-viral Facebook post. "Why is he getting in from school at 10:53 a.m. you ask? Schools don't finish until 3 p.m. ... Well the little turd has just been expelled from school for the day after been caught charging students 50p a squirt for hand [sanitizer] to protect [themselves] from the bloody coronavirus!!"

A quick Google search shows that Tompkins' son charged his classmates roughly 61¢ per squirt of hand sanitizer, a product that has quickly disappeared from store shelves and even online shops. People have even resorted to making homemade hand sanitizer with vodka in an effort to protect themselves against the spread of COVID-19, which the World Health Organization (WHO) declared on Wednesday a pandemic. On Friday, President Donald Trump announced a national emergency in response.

"For those asking, he made £9!" Tompkins updated her Facebook post, which has been shared over 198,000 times and garnered over 222,000 reactions. (In U.S. dollars, her son walked away with about $11.) Tompkins added that her son "bought a multipack of Doritos" from his profits and is "saving the rest to buy a kebab later"

While health officials for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say frequent hand-washing with soap and water for 20 seconds is one of the best ways to protect yourself during the ongoing outbreak, hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol can also be used. Unsurprisingly, people all across the globes are facing hand sanitizer shortages right now.

Of course, Tompkins' son isn't the only one who has capitalized on the current public health crisis; according to The Star, a couple in Vancouver has reportedly made $100,000 by reselling Lysol wipes. Well, folks, let's all do our best to keep calm and, for the love of God, wash your hands.

If you think you’re showing symptoms of coronavirus, which include fever, shortness of breath, and cough, call your doctor before going to get tested. If you’re anxious about the virus’s spread in your community, visit the CDC for up-to-date information and resources, or seek out mental health support. You can find all of Romper’s parents + coronavirus coverage here, and Bustle’s constantly updated, general “what to know about coronavirus” here.