Vitamin D deficiency can reduce vax efficacy, increase Covid severity, experts say

New Delhi, Feb. 13 (IANS): India has started showing declining Covid trends over the past few weeks as the nation is reporting below one lakh Covid infection for the past few days.

On Sunday, India reported below 50,000 Covid cases after 40 days.

However, the death toll among people with comorbidities continues to rise in the country.

Dr. Amitav Banerjee, Prof. and Head of Community Medicines at D Y Patil Medical College Pune, says that the body needs adequate amounts of Vitamin D to maintain and support the immune system against Covid-19.

“Your body needs adequate amounts of Vitamin D to maintain and support the immune system. Studies have shown how Vitamin D deficiencies can reduce vaccine efficacy and also increase the severity of Covid infection in individuals.”

Lifestyle changes do not only consist of diet and exercise but stepping outdoors for getting your mandatory dose of Vitamin D is also an important component of a healthy lifestyle, he added further while speaking on the importance of lifestyle in the prevention of diseases during Health4All Episode.

“We have found that young adults are about 4 times more likely to have Vitamin D deficiencies as compared to older adults due to the cultural and social changes that have taken over in the past few decades. Vitamin D deficiency is directly associated with the exposure of skin to the sun. We see even the traffic police are found Vitamin D deficient despite having good exposure to sunlight. They spend reasonably good time in the sunlight but their skin and face are covered and not exposed to the sunlight,” added Dr Banerjee.

Dr. Sujeet Kumar Singh, Director, National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), had also said recently that around 64 per cent deaths in Delhi are from the unvaccinated group with a major comorbid population.

While speaking at comorbidities and safety measures in Covid times, Dr Vikas Oswal, Managing Director, GIVA Foundation said, “Tuberculosis is one of the underlying respiratory problems that need special focus like we are paying to protect us from Covid. If the immune system is strong and TB bacteria enters your body it doesn’t affect you much.”