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Covid-19 Primary Care Resources


Vitamin D



Further evidence is needed to assess whether vitamin D deficiency affects the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection

This information is sourced from NHS UK, NICE, Center for Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM) and SAGE:

PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS NO LONGER RELEVANT AND IS NOT BEING UPDATED BUT HAS BEEN LEFT ON THE SITE FOR REFERENCE PURPOSES ONLY

On 28th November the government announced that clinically extremely vulnerable people will be offered free vitamin D supplements for the winter

This information is sourced from NICE (December 2020):

  • Encourage people to follow UK government advice on taking a vitamin D               supplement to maintain bone and muscle health
  • For most people, 10 micrograms (400 units) of vitamin D a day will be enough to prevent serum 25(OH)D concentration from falling below 25 nmol/litre
  • Taking too high a dose of vitamin D over a long period of time could be harmful because it can cause hypercalcaemia
  • Do not offer a vitamin D supplement to people solely to prevent Covid-19, except as part of a clinical trial
  • Do not offer a vitamin D supplement to people solely to treat Covid-19, except as part of a clinical trial

This information is sourced from SAGE (October 2020):

  • Further evidence is needed to assess whether a vitamin D deficiency will impact any seasonal effects of SARS-CoV-2
  • There are some suggestions that those more likely to self-isolate, and vulnerable groups may have a higher incidence of vitamin D deficiency, potentially increasing the likelihood of adverse risks should they become infected

This information is sourced from NHS UK (August 2020):

  • It’s important to take vitamin D as you may have been indoors more than usual this year
  • You should take 10 micrograms (400 IU) of vitamin D a day between October and early March
  • There is currently not enough evidence to support taking vitamin D to prevent or treat coronavirus

This information is sourced from the Center for Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM) (May 2020):