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 effect of the provision of free vitamin D supplements to people at high risk from covid-19 infection on the health of those people during winter 2020-21.

The free vitamin D supplement scheme was introduced to benefit those asked to stay indoors more than usual over the spring and summer 2020 due to national restrictions. The supplements were provided to help support their general health, in particular bone and muscle health.

In collaboration with Public Health England and the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence conducted a rapid evidence review evaluating evidence from recent studies on vitamin D in relation to 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. However, the panel concluded that there is currently not enough evidence to support taking vitamin D solely to prevent or treat COVID-19.