Ministers are said to be reconsidering the use of vitamin D in tackling coronavirus after Matt Hancock wrongly claimed it had been proven to be ineffective in a Government-funded study The health secretary told the House of Commons last week that a ‘trial’ investigating vitamin D had taken place, and that it did not ‘appear to have any impact’ on the effects of Covid-19 But officials have since admitted that no clinical trials on the vitamin have been carried out at all Yesterday, Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran said Mr Hancock should ‘get his facts straight’ Experts have pointed to growing evidence suggesting the vitamin could have an impact on how badly people who catch the virus suffer Experts have for months been calling for officials to look into the nutrient after research from around the world showed a link between coronavirus and vitamin D deficiency in patients According to national surveys, roughly one in five people in the are deficient in vitamin D — the equivalent of 13 million Brits This rate jumps to 90% when looking at people with darker skin, such as BAME populations who are known to be at greater risk from coronavirus Despite Mr Hancock now agreeing to meet experts to discuss the immune system-boosting vitamin’s potential, his dismissal of it as a treatment has infuriated scientists and MPs who yesterday said ministers must act fast – as levels of the ‘sunshine vitamin’ drop drastically in autumn and winter Ms Moran told MailOnline: ‘I hope Matt Hancock will take a less flippant approach to potential treatments in future and get his facts straight before making such comments We’re in a crisis, it’s time for politicians to stop playing science and listen to the experts’ Numerous studies have found that an overwhelming number of people who test positive for Covid-19 do not have enough vitamin D in their bodies and the sickest of patients are often deficient Scientists have not yet worked out whether the nutrient deficiency makes people more vulnerable to the disease, or whether becoming unwell causes vitamin D levels to drop Vitamin D supplements are safe, cheap and readily available, so experts are baffled by Mr Hancock’s decision to dismiss them Two leading leading doctors have said that because politicians and scientists were so determined to find a vaccine, they had overlooked the more simple solution that vitamin D and boosting people’s immune systems could provide Just weeks ago, research in Spain showed that high doses of activated vitamin D significantly reduced the need for intensive care treatment of covid patients If the vitamin is proven to work in trials, it would provide a cheap and easy way to protect the nation until a vaccine is ready Charles Bangham, chairman in immunology at Imperial College London, told The Times: ‘PHE already recommends that everybody take a daily vitamin D supplement but the message is not getting through to a large section of the population ‘As we move into autumn and
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