[R.B.]

Happy to share a letter that was sent to the BMJ and accepted for their Rapid Response section.

'Re: Preventing a covid-19 pandemic - COVID-19: Vitamin D deficiency; and, death rates; are both disproportionately higher in elderly Italians, Spanish, Swedish Somali, and African Americans? A connection? Research urgently required!'

https://www.bmj.com/content/368/bmj.m810/rr-46

Still struggling to get research interest. Is a bit of a catch 22 - possible funding first or defined research projects - cant get one without the other - needs some vision somewhere . . .

No interest from the Gates Foundation - the people handling it do not understand its relevance and appear from a brief response fixated on pharmacological solutions.

Tried Jeff Bezos too but no response.

Needs a big figure with a public presence, and the authority/ access to funding, to say this needs doing and now!

Henry from https://vitamindwiki.com/ who has amazingly brought together vast number of studies in his 'retirement', and a group of others are putting a lot of effort in trying to get some research done as well. We are working as a loose group to try and get some progress.

If Vit D deficiency is a factor, the gains at many levels, for a minor 'investment' in relevant research, could be huge.

IF Vit D is proven in studies to factor in COVID-19 mitigation (and logically why would it not be - but as yet yes no studies so we do not know for sure) then we would know that things should change in summer as Vit D levels rise (if people can get outside if not need to supplement at national level), as happens with other influenzas - yes maybe not just D - but that would be a useful bit of info. in terms of things to think about re social distancing strategies etc going forward etc. etc.