Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the impact of vitamin D deficiency on people at high risk from covid-19 in the event that they contract that virus.

In 2020, the former Public Health England, the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) considered the emerging evidence on vitamin D and the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. This included the publication of a rapid guideline on vitamin D and COVID-19 in December 2020, which concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support taking vitamin D solely to prevent or treat COVID-19.

RAPID C-19, a multi-agency initiative led by NICE, continues to monitor evidence on vitamin D in relation to treatment for COVID-19. NICE is also monitoring evidence on vitamin D in relation to prevention of COVID-19. The SACN continues to monitor emerging evidence on nutrition and COVID-19. To date, no evidence has been identified that meets the threshold to trigger additional review against the existing COVID-19 rapid guideline.