Vitamin D and Covid-19

There has been much in the news recently about using Vitamin D to build up resistance against Covid-19. I am a great believer in this, and both Ann and I take a tablet daily, supplemented by vitamen C which keeps tissues in good repair.

There is a scientific basis behind the efficacy of vitamin D. One company for which I do consultancy manufacture and sell a high-dose version of vitamin D for elderly people in care homes, for patients with clinical D-deficiency, and as a nutritional supplement for people in winter when they don't get much exposure to sunlight. With an eye to a marketing opportunity, the company asked me to research evidence for vitamin-D in association with conditions such as respiratory infections and viral diseases. I found a number of papers that support this link, and though "prevention of Covid-19" cannot be added to the licence for the drug, I was able to make a persuasive general case for taking it as a food supplement to help build up resistance to infection. Interestingly, one pharma company in Spain are running a clinical trial to assess the benefits of the vitamin in CV-19, so they too are taking the connection seriously. It will certainly do no harm to take vitamin-D as a supplement, and I for one shall continue to do so.

President Trump has been giving medical advice again, now suggesting ingesting bleach to fight CV. I have only one word to add: whatever the Trump suggests, don't! If you always do the opposite of his advice, you will not go too far wrong.

Last night we had a Houseparty quiz night. This is an amazing ap: eight groups were on video call simultaneously. Edwin and Andre called in from Cambridge, Ben, Kaz and Luke from Telford, Lucy and Andy and the grandchildren from Hartlepool (even baby Theo made an appearance); and Mike from Thornaby, who was question-master for the evening. Rosie and Matthew joined from King's Lynn, plus one. We congratulated them and admired the recent ultrasound scan picture. It is great to be reminded that life will go on anew once this wretched time has past. Matthew always had the nickname Snibs, and they are already refering to baby as Baby Snibs or Baby Snibling! We look forward to welcoming him (or her?) amongst us.

One question in sport involved a women's football final, which Ben derided as not a sport, forgetting perhaps that Ann used to play for the Aston Villa Ladies team. Also, they are they only English side to do really well at international level, with the best chance of winning a cup so he ought to start backing them, at least until such time as Middlesbrough can leave the bottom of the leagues.

Yesterday we rearranged the furniture in what is now the dining-cum sitting room. Today Ann was still not happy and wanted to juggle it again, so I took the dogs for another long walk and left her to it. When I came back, she said, "The things are everywhere. It's still not right. We're going to have to move it all back into the other room!"

Her voice was so despondent and her face so miserable, I hid my own feelings about it, thinking I'd better offer some support. "All right," I sighed, "we'll just have to do it. But let's have a drink first."

She led me into the room to sit down, and everything was neat and perfect. "I was only teasing you!" she laughed. The women in her family are all terrible teases. I should have known after all these years, but she gets me every time.