More than 2.5 million vulnerable people across England will be offered free Vitamin D supplements for the winter, the Government has announced. All care homes will automatically receive a provision for their residents, while individuals on the ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’ list will receive a letter inviting them to opt in for a supply to be delivered directly to their homes. Deliveries will be free of charge, starting in January, and will provide 4 months’ worth of supplements to last people through the winter months.
The supplements will support general health, in particular bone and muscle health. This is particularly important this year as these individuals are more likely to have been indoors for extended periods owing to measures introduced to stop the spread of COVID-19.
I have been suggesting to Ministers that this should be explored for a little while, and so I am very pleased that this is happening, informed by a number of scientific studies.