Have you taken your Vitamin D today?
The council’s public health team has launched a new campaign to encourage residents to start taking a vitamin D supplement. Early indications suggest that vitamin D may be contributing towards the fight against coronavirus.
Public Health England and the NHS advise everyone takes 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day between October and early March as we don’t get enough vitamin D from natural sunlight. This is compounded by the pandemic and lockdown measures which have kept people inside more than normal, increasing the risk of vitamin D deficiency.
Taking vitamin D can help improve your overall health, prevent your bones from weakening and strengthen your immune system to help prevent infection.
It’s especially important to take vitamin D if you are in any of these groups.
• Adults and children from “at risk” groups and those clinically vulnerable to coronavirus. *
• The elderly.
• People who do not go outside.
• Those with dark skin (especially residents with a Black Caribbean, Black African or South Asian ethnicity).
• Pregnant women**.
• Children up to the age of 4 years**.
*If you are clinically vulnerable to coronavirus then you can sign up for a free pack of vitamin D on the NHS website https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/people-at-higher-risk/get-vitamin-d-supplements/
**Vitamin D supplements available free (or at low cost) through the Healthy Start scheme to support healthy pregnancy and births - please ask your GP, midwife or health visitor or visit www.healthystart.nhs.uk
Cllr Natasa Pantelic, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “Evidence from Public Health England and the NHS show it is extremely important to make sure that you are taking a 10 microgram Vitamin D tablet from October to early March every year. As lockdown measures keep people inside this winter much more than usual, this is more important than ever. Vitamin D can strengthen your immune system which is of particular importance during this pandemic.”
Visit www.publichealthslough.co.uk/campaigns/vitamind for more information.
Public Health England and the NHS advise everyone takes 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day between October and early March as we don’t get enough vitamin D from natural sunlight. This is compounded by the pandemic and lockdown measures which have kept people inside more than normal, increasing the risk of vitamin D deficiency.
Taking vitamin D can help improve your overall health, prevent your bones from weakening and strengthen your immune system to help prevent infection.
It’s especially important to take vitamin D if you are in any of these groups.
• Adults and children from “at risk” groups and those clinically vulnerable to coronavirus. *
• The elderly.
• People who do not go outside.
• Those with dark skin (especially residents with a Black Caribbean, Black African or South Asian ethnicity).
• Pregnant women**.
• Children up to the age of 4 years**.
*If you are clinically vulnerable to coronavirus then you can sign up for a free pack of vitamin D on the NHS website https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/people-at-higher-risk/get-vitamin-d-supplements/
**Vitamin D supplements available free (or at low cost) through the Healthy Start scheme to support healthy pregnancy and births - please ask your GP, midwife or health visitor or visit www.healthystart.nhs.uk
Cllr Natasa Pantelic, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “Evidence from Public Health England and the NHS show it is extremely important to make sure that you are taking a 10 microgram Vitamin D tablet from October to early March every year. As lockdown measures keep people inside this winter much more than usual, this is more important than ever. Vitamin D can strengthen your immune system which is of particular importance during this pandemic.”
Visit www.publichealthslough.co.uk/campaigns/vitamind for more information.
