Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Royal Society Open Science Vitamin D and COVID-19: evidence and recommendations for supplementation, published on 1 December 2020; and what plans they have to adopt any actions as a result of any such assessment.

Public Health England (PHE) is aware of the Royal Society’s paper but has made no formal assessment.

Current Government advice on vitamin D and health is based on recommendations from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN).

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, Public Health England and the SACN published COVID-19 rapid guideline: vitamin D in December 2020 which concluded that there is currently not enough evidence to support taking vitamin D solely to prevent or treat COVID-19. The expert panel supported current Government advice for everyone to take the supplement throughout the autumn and winter for bone and muscle health. A copy COVID-19 rapid guideline: vitamin D is attached.

From this month the Government is providing a free four-month supply of daily vitamin D supplements to adults on the clinically extremely vulnerable list that have opted in to receive the supplements and residents in residential and nursing care homes in England to help support general health, in particular bone and muscle health.