1/At the end of a tough week for many @HSELive @trust_indi #RDs it’s disappointing that we have to find the energy to engage in a debate about nutrition in the prevention of #Covid19 https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🙄" title="Face with rolling eyes" aria-label="Emoji: Face with rolling eyes">

2/ The headlines generated this week from cross sectional studies of Vitamin D and Covid19 should IMO be interpreted cautiously.

Absolutely good nutrition is linked to good health. If individuals have a diagnosed nutritional deficiency, it should be treated.

3/ However IMO the current evidence does not warrant high risk groups who are self isolating or cocooning breaking that to try to access Vitamin D blood testing or supplementation.

4/ I’m commenting because I was asked about it by a concerned patient group that I work with. IMO anything that causes unwarranted additional stress at the moment is unhelpful. But it’s not surprising with irresponsible headlines such as ‘Vit D fights off Covid’ being published.

5/To quote Prof @CACorish on another thread ‘Population based recommendations should be made on high quality scientific evidence and come from the DOH’. Never has it been more important to have clear, consistent advice for the public.

6/These kinds of distractions have the potential to detract from the measures we know work - handwashing, physical distancing, cough etiquette. All #HCPs have a responsibility to ensure that patients get clear guidance & the best advice from @roinnslainte @HSELive right now.