Vitamin D during the COVID-19 pandemic

Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has produced some helpful information about ensuring your family has enough vitamin D whilst spending more time indoors. The advice includes specific guidance for pregnant and lactating women, babies and children under five.

The Department of Health and Social Care recommends that all children have vitamins until they are 5. The vitamins include vitamin D.

In addition to Healthy Start and national recommendations, some areas have vitamin D supplementation programmes.

It is still important that parents and carers apply for the Healthy Start scheme if they are eligible and use the vitamin vouchers provided.

In Bradford pregnant women are provided with vitamin tablets in pregnancy. Health visitors provide all infants under six months with free vitamin drops as part of the district’s vitamin D supplementation programme. Also children at risk of deficiency up to the age of two years can receive free vitamins from their health visitor. There is lots more information on the Council’s website.

In Wakefield, the Health Visiting Service provides vitamins to children of parents who receive Healthy Start Vouchers.  Your health visitor will discuss this with you.