[Closed] What’s your take on the protests ( sheer number of people in one place)

Crazy thing to organise

Insane, but then DC has pretty much ended lock down...

It's sheer, not shear; that's what you do to sheep...

and you've said 'allowed' 3 times; what are you expecting here exactly? No one 'allowed' it, it happened because people are pissed off and because Dominic Cummings is a ****.

As whitty pointed out today, if u can't do 2 metres then masks & hand washing is next best

But still worrying,

But then none of the MPs in moggs conga were wearing masks & they were squeezed together at points

I’m sure the government were delighted. On the one hand there is bound to be a huge spike in infections, but on the other hand those infected will either be black or white, middle class, hand-wringing Guardian readers.

So by letting the protests go ahead they’re effectively increasing their majority

I've just been asking someone in the NHS about this - 2 cities local to me, (with a pretty low black population) have had big protests - the news showed people wearing masks and some just with scarves over their faces. So this'll stop (some) spreading the virus, but not from catching it. The protests are for a very worthy cause, but it's a crazy risk at such a time.

It's because people are willing to take risks for something they really care about.

The reasons for higher BAME mortality from COVID are likely to be the very thing that people are protesting against.

Moggs conga yesterday, bearing in mind Alok Sharma has just said he's got symptoms & is isolating

The reasons for higher BAME mortality from COVID are likely to be the very thing that people are protesting against.

You'll have to explain that, sorry. So you're saying it's ok for people to get/spread the virus, because that's what they're protesting about? I can't get my head around it.

The reasons for higher BAME mortality from COVID are likely to be the very thing that people are protesting against.

Lost me too are you suggesting the nhs are racist I'm confused

I fail to see how this isn’t just going to end up in many more unneceary deaths, unless we are truly done with covid and this government is lowballing how “effective” their admin has been of this crisis.

I think what it's about is frustration with white people trying to tell other people, especially black people what they should and shouldn't do, and some white people are pretty fed up about it too, but perhaps feel a bit helpless and confused and so joining a demo probably helps then feel they are doing something (like me posting this).

To put it another way, perhaps telling people they shouldn't protest about racist injustices and inequality because there is a plague now, even though racist injustices and inequality, perpetuated by us white folks, leading to black people being disproportionally targeted by police, etc, has been going on for hundreds of years, and continues to this day, and will continue unless we doing something, is at best ironic.

I think what it’s about is frustration with white people trying to tell... black people what they should and shouldn’t do

I think you've hit the nail on the head there.

perhaps telling people they shouldn’t protest about racist injustices... is at best ironic.

Though perhaps asking them to wait a couple of months rather than saying they can't do it at all might be prudent and not unreasonable? If your complaint is that you're being unfairly targeted for flouting the rules, it's perhaps not the best way to further your cause by organising a mass rule-flouting.

Wow, Cougar! Only BAME are breaching the guidelines...

Srsly?

And you have no awareness of any other explanation?

Anyways I'd say this is a better reason to risk transmission than meeting on beaches etc

That’s not what he said. He said white people were 50:50 between not giving a @#*# and treating people like lepers.

ethnic minorities catching the virus then just take a stroll around East Lancashire, you’ll quickly see that it’s because they’ve all been up in the park for the last two months playing *ing football and cricket every night. Asian lads looking to be in their 20s primarily but not exclusively. Zero * given about social distancing, they’ll cross the road to go and fist-bump each other as they pass, it’s like they’re actively going out of their way to defy being told what to do. Walk two blocks in any direction from here and you’ll find a yard with a barbecue, a kids’ party or a gang of lads hanging out, I think they’re all taking turns hosting. And sure, it’s been Eid and Ramadan, fair enough, but I’ve lived here all my life and I’ve never known it like this.

To answer the specific question which is not about the cause or showing *solidarity* - absolute stupidity, irresponsibility and recklessness.
Did none of them think....we're in a global pandemic, is this sensible?
Evidently not.
As an example of a prize chump, Barry Gardiner MP who has been self-isolating since
mid-March decided to break his isolation and join protestors today outside parliament.
R on it's way up.

Yeah not the best idea, but given Dominic Cummings’ donkey behaviour it’s hardly surprising.

Cresida Dick said today that the police backed off from enforcing social distancing rules at the protest as they feared trouble if they did. Just because things here are not as exaggerated as America doesn't mean that many of the same problems don't exist

The biggest danger for Britain is that we focus too much on America and fail to realise what the situation is like here.

As Dave said at the Brit Awards:

"The least racist is still racist and our prime minister is a real racist."

Don't say you haven't been warned.

Isn’t it way too early to make conclusions as to why BAME may have been more affected by Covid? It seems a far too complex issue for data that is barely a month old.

If the protestors had spread out, 2 meters apart, how many miles of streets would they have been visible on? How long would it have taken the police to move them on? A protest could have taken place that made the necessary and important point and the strength of feelings clear, without being so high risk in terms of infection.

Looking at a lot of the responses on here it seems the STW consensus is that if we intend to protest about racial injustice we should form an orderly queue in the time honoured British fashion.

Moreover, we should do it at the right (allocated) time, maybe postpone it for a couple of months. Maybe we could ask Derek Chauvin to be more considerate and save his performance for the cameras for a time when protests can be organised more safely.

inky, covid has no vaccine and our *gov* are clueless so....what do you suggest?
There is more I could say about protests outside of the US about a white police on black man murder; they show *solidarity* but mean nothing to anything happening in the US.
They may have some relevance in reminding UK gov that racism is alive and 'well' in the UK and effective action is long overdue to achieve a permanent change.

Looking at a lot of the responses on here it seems the STW consensus is that if we intend to protest about racial injustice we should form an orderly queue in the time honoured British fashion.

Moreover, we should do it at the right (allocated) time, maybe postpone it for a couple of months. Maybe we could ask Derek Chauvin to be more considerate and save his performance for the cameras for a time when protests can be organised more safely.

This is lunacy.

Of course it's lunacy, I was just paraphrasing many of the comments and whataboutary on here.

Franc,

Have you considered that a young black man protesting here might not be doing it (only) in solidarity with George Floyd but might be protesting because he's sick of being stopped, searched, harrassed and brutalized by the UK police and institutions?

inky - yes, I have.
15 years volunteering in homeless sector; have seen police close-up and their abuse of homeless.
Generalising hugely, police attitude to homeless is comparable with attitude to black/people of colour.
As an aside, do you have any direct experience of UK police behaviour?
If you have, your words have some value; if not....

@inkster - which protest did you join and why?

Even as a SJW snowflake remoaner tree-hugging card-carrying yoghurt knitter I find it difficult to believe that a virus is racist.

The virus has simply highlighted the extant racism within our society, lower paid FLWs are more likely to pick up the virus, BAME are more likely to be lower paid FLWs. That's my understanding.

The cause of the protests was/is legitimate long before CV19 hit, the problem is that the timing of the protests runs the risk of exacerbating the spread of CV19 and it as as much a signaling of solidarity with US protesters as challenging the UK situation.

Dare I say it when you've got an army of vapid dickheads packing the beaches on sunny weekends, a return to active protesting for real causes seems almost responsible...

Almost...

The virus has simply highlighted the extant racism within our society, lower paid FLWs are more likely to pick up the virus, BAME are more likely to be lower paid FLWs. That’s my understanding

I thought the studies into this were still on-going?

"excuse me old chap, could you stop this lunacy and postpone your protest against centuries of injustice until we tell you that it's ok to proceed"

It’s because people are willing to take risks for something they really care about.

Or because we no longer have clap for NHS thing and people want some meaning in their life.

Just wait until all McDonanlds are open, no one will be bothered about it then

@Nick

“Excuse me old chap could you postpone or ensure strict social distancing when their is a global pandemic that has claimed excess 40,000 lives in the uk in the past 3 months”
If this triggers another wave in which Bame will be disproportionally affected will we see a protest because of the protest?

Do you think this protest will affect the public opinion or policy in the uk? If anything it reinforces the idea of lawlessness in large urban areas.

@DezB

There is a somewhat controversial one coming out very soon. Something coming out this soon means they probably rushed it, meaning it will become a political document rather than a fact finding one. I could be wrong though.

I thought the studies into this were still on-going?

Are they? Is anyone currently studying this topic? And if so for what purpose?

I'd say there's a broadly reported statistical link between ethnicity, income, rates of CV19 infection and resultant deaths, and yes it is an open ended causation/correlation question. So yes it's a working hypothesis at present not proven fact, but it seems logical.

The alternative hypothesis is that CV19 is somehow managing to disproportionately target non-Whites which would presume ours is an utterly equal society, and no single ethnic group or demographic has higher risk factors... Do we believe that to be the case?

Even as a SJW snowflake remoaner tree-hugging card-carrying yoghurt knitter

I'm not racist but...

Morons be moroning

you’ll quickly see that it’s because they’ve all been up in the park

It's their own fault.

The British in general have been terrible at adhering to restrictions and have one of the highest death rates. Now compare that to Asian countries...

PoC in the UK are tired and can't take the systemic racism anymore. We're currently praising them as key workers, whilst we vilify them for our misgivings

Are they? Is anyone currently studying this topic?
This is what I meant. Sorry if it's not an "official study" - quick google, random result:
https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-health-secretary-pledges-action-on-bame-covid-19-deaths-11999383

Anyway, I've said my view, as requested, so I'll step out before it gets all point scory like the other thread. There's clearly no simple answer, as ianc seems to think, but my brain can't cope with the complexities of it and arguing about such a topic isn't for me.

Or because we no longer have clap for NHS thing and people want some meaning in their life.

Just wait until all McDonanlds are open, no one will be bothered about it then

Coronavirus is already yesterdays news sadly. On the BBC homepage the three banner headlines are,
Former defence secretary disagrees with Trump.
Big breakthrough in Madeleine McCann Case.
Radio 1 leading a singalong.

I have thought for a while now that this is what would happen with Coronavirus. Everyone will gradually get back to a normal routine as restrictions are lifted and the virus will just be forgotten about. The ignoring of Coronavirus in the protests / reporting of the protests is very much part of this.

@DezB

There is superficial statistical assessment out on BAME deaths in the nhs, in this case they seem disproportionately affected also, even though infection seems to be happening at the hospital.
If we know one thing is that nhs is very good at treating all of its staff like shit.

@baboonz

Excuse me black people,

do you think this protest will affect the public opinion or policy in the uk? If anything it reinforces the idea of lawlessness in large urban areas.

If we know one thing is that nhs is very good at treating all of its staff like shit

Well, there's something I can agree with

Frank and DezB,

Why are you calling me put on what experiences I've had regards police racism and demanding what protests I've been on and why?

I was merely pointing out the discrepancies between those who have posted about how they understand what's happening in the US yet they seem to have a different set of values when it comes to discussing protests in the UK.

This thread pitches right to protest against threat to public safety during a pandemic. Systemic racism is a constant threat to public safety if you are black. Coronavirus will (hopefully) recede and we'll get back to some kind of normal. For some people any kind of normal means putting up with living in a racist society.

Protesters putting themselves and others at risk are being wilfully irresponsible because they know that by doing so they are emphasising that racism is a greater existential threat than coronavirus.

Wow, Cougar! Only BAME are breaching the guidelines…

Srsly?

And you have no awareness of any other explanation?

I wondered how long it'd take for someone to cherry-pick what I posted and come to that conclusion or similar. I did specifically say Asian lads in their 20s, I wonder why you didn't call me out for being sexist or ageist too? Missed opportunity there mate, a solid 7/10 for effort though.

Of course that's neither what I said nor what I meant. I'm simply relaying, anecdotally and I would hope without prejudice, what I'm seeing here with my own eyes when I venture outside. I can take photos if you don't believe me.

The BAME problem with covid-19 is hardly rocket science. Dark skin in Northern latitudes means even less sun/vitamin D than the white population. Look at how the Somalis in Sweden are suffering too. But of course, it's so easy to blame depravation and prejudice.

Now THAT'S science.

So a few weeks ago on a biking FB page someone was promoting a protest march against the lockdown itself organised by right wing group claim the government was taking away their human right of freedom. Please to see that everyone including me ripped into them from the many different angles of covid spread to there isn’t any freedom having been removed without a just cause etc.

The amount of people that have flocked to beaches and parks over the last few weeks while not abiding to social distancing rules has been ridiculous. The street parties for VE that all started from a distance but as soon as a bit of alcohol was consumed everyone is crowded and mingling with each other are just as stupid and likely help to spread it.

The protesters (regards of what you view point) full in to the same category of other idiots putting themselves, their families and the wider society at risk. What has actually changed that means the restrictions can change? Nothing, no cure has been devolved as of yet, it just the hospitals has space for you if the worst happens.

So the people who protest about systemic racial injustice fall into the same category of idiots as people who protest their right to go to the beach and have a piss up.

Gotcha.

So the people who protest about systemic racial injustice fall into the same category of idiots as people who protest their right to go to the beach and have a piss up.

Whilst I take your point, would it really make a vast amount of difference to the protesters if they chose to protest against "centuries of injustice" in August rather than June?

You're equally putting yourself at risk whether it's for a noble and vitally important cause or because you fancy a beer with your mates. And if, as is believed, the demographics doing the protesting are at a much higher risk from CV19 then it's even more reckless.

How often have we said on here, it's no good being right when you're dead.

Inkstar - you have clearly taken my words and twisted them to suit your view point. In non lockdown situation I would fully support the legal protest and free speech against racism and the despicable treatment that has been used against bame people. At this current moment in time I don’t think it’s safe to be in large groups what ever the reasoning.

I suspect the protestors broadly agree with this (quote from twitter)

You can be pissed off at people flocking to the seaside & ok with those demonstrating against a horrifying injustice. Risking your life to paddle is not the same as risking your life to take a stand against someone unjustly losing theirs.

But of course YMMV

@cougar - I don't think it's OK for you to call me a moron rather than ask me to explain further. You clearly haven't thought very much about this.

Of course the virus isn't racist, and it's vanishingly unlikely that there could be a genetic racial component to its effects. (How to Argue With a Racist by Adam Rutherford has some excellent thoughts on genetics and race - a bit too much to get int in detail here though). It is far more likely that the causes are socio-economic, although I do recognise that this won't be known for quite some time. Either way, I can certainly understand why those protesting might see their increased COVID risk as yet another product of a racially biased system.

As for your personal field study, I can see how that has led you to your conclusion. I don't think that your data support your conclusion though, and I think that your sampling technique may be susceptible to bias.

Anyway, I'm off away from this thread now. Kudos to those of you here who have kept it thoughtful and constructive.

Cougar,

Would it make a vast amount of difference if the protesters postponed their protest till August?

No. The difference wouldn't be vast, it would be seismic.

It would not get the exposure it is getting now and it would be said: 'Why are you bringing this up now? It happened months ago.'

The protesters have made a calculated risk, weighing up the risk from coronavirus against the risk of missing the best opportunity to bring public awareness to racial injustice that has presented itself in a generation.

Mattvanders,

How can I twist your words when you repeat them?

Saying you would fully support legal protest and free speech against racism in a non lockdown situation is no different to saying that you would not fully support protest and free speech against racism in a lockdown situation.

@cougar – I don’t think it’s OK for you to call me a moron rather than ask me to explain further. You clearly haven’t thought very much about this.

I wasn't calling you anything, I was referring to the people (of all demographics) who are wilfully ignoring advice during a global pandemic which has so far killed six and a half million people and counting.

No. The difference wouldn’t be vast, it would be seismic.

It was a genuine question I was asking, I should have been clearer about that. Sorry.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jun/04/genetics-bame-people-die-coronavirus-structural-racism

Wow, just had a read of this thread, some staggeringly simplistic bobbins spouted along with some borderline outright racism, but this bit really stood out as quite unbelievably stupid and quite worrying in terms of attempting to shut down valid debate

As an aside, do you have any direct experience of UK police behaviour?
If you have, your words have some value; if not….

Saying you would fully support legal protest and free speech against racism in a non lockdown situation is no different to saying that you would not fully support protest and free speech against racism in a lockdown situation.

I think you are confusing lockdown with being a political act, not a public health one.

I’m simply relaying, anecdotally and I would hope without prejudice, what I’m seeing here with my own eyes when I venture outside. I can take photos if you don’t believe me.

There is a smidgen of disapproval in your tone I think you’d agree?

Maybe, just maybe, they're really, really, really angry at centuries of systemic racism and police (i.e. state) brutality, with the fact that they are literally in fear for their lives in any interaction with the police, and it has now got to the point where that fear and anger has boiled over.

How rationally do you act when you're in a state of massive fear and anger?

I've been following the Covid issue in Botswana, they've been very successful, it puts another angle on the 'racial' element.
Last night I was getting on the phone all the de-legitimise the protests stuff: agitators behind it, protesters are pawns of higher powers, they're attacking the Cenotaph, ex-military rough sleepers just want handouts (from someone on a private income and married to a military man), a few rotten apples. Gah. Middle England.

The BAME problem with covid-19 is hardly rocket science. Dark skin in Northern latitudes means even less sun/vitamin D than the white population. Look at how the Somalis in Sweden are suffering too. But of course, it’s so easy to blame depravation and prejudice.

I've heard that hypothesis since the early days of Covid. Its a nice idea, but as yet I don't believe anyone has shown a correlation between severity and Vit D. Oddly its not particularly hard to measure and actually has something that could be actionable - whilst the govt advice is for us all to take more Vit D anyway thats low profile.

The assumption in the statement about Somalis in Sweden suggest that there is no depravation or prejudice toward black people in Sweden. An interesting reference point would be the initial data in Scotland - which suggested we weren't seeing the same ethnic effect here. Now I'm not niave enough to think we don't have blatant and background racism in Scotland. But we also get less sunlight so should have even less Vit D, and have areas where there is very high depravation even amongst pasty white people who trace their ancestry to MacDonalds and Camerons.

The BAME problem with covid-19 is hardly rocket science. Dark skin in Northern latitudes means even less sun/vitamin D than the white population. Look at how the Somalis in Sweden are suffering too. But of course, it’s so easy to blame depravation and prejudice.

Care to explain the causality?

Come on its not rocket science

Care to explain the causality?

Plenty of research and references online from eminent doctors and scientists if you care to look regarding a) Vitamin D deficiency effect on the immune system b) Vitamin D deficiency on all populations due to lack of sun exposure.

Point B is exacerbated by people of colour living in Northern latitudes as malatonin in their skin cuts down vitamin D absorption from the sun.

Dr Robert Heaney is a good source as is Dr Michael Holick. Several good videos on YouTube have been taken down in recent weeks due to the Covid Stasi there seemingly objecting to even doctors posting about combating covid-19 with vitamin D. I'm not a conspiracy theorist but I'm not sure why this should be as vitamin D deficiency is the underlying pandemic which is adversely affecting EVERY ethnic group.

The vitamin D deficiency issue could also be another factor why old people in care homes are being adversely affected. It's not just because they are old. They're shut away indoors and receive no vitamin D supplementation. You virtually get no vitamin D from your diet unless you eat very specific foods and even then you need to eat a lot of them.

I would seriously urge everyone to look into vitamin D deficiency because for at least 4 months of the year in Winter in this country you will get no vitamin D from the sun even if you sunbathed for the whole day. The sun is just too low in the sky. Another reason why any sort of virus including influenza, seems to attack the population in Winter.

Sorry I dont want to find it myself, I wanted you to point me at the causal evidence.

Come on its not rocket science

A poor choice of words on my part, it's a lot more complicated than just putting a rocket into space. The cure is VERY simple though, everyone just take 5000 IU vitamin D3 per day plus 100 mcg vitamin K2.

I'm sure in decades to come historians will look upon this period of history as the medical (and nutritional) dark ages where profit was more important than health.

Sorry I dont want to find it myself, I wanted you to point me at the causal evidence.

Watch these if you can be arsed.

a global pandemic which has so far killed six and a half million people and counting.

Has it?

I watched a few mins of each before I got bored, still not seeing any evidence of a causal relationship between covid and vit d.

I watched a few mins of each before I got bored, still not seeing any evidence of a causal relationship between covid and vit d.

I wonder why?

Oxford University review of Vitamin D evidence

VERDICT
We found no clinical evidence on vitamin D in COVID-19. There was no evidence related to vitamin D deficiency predisposing to COVID-19, nor were there studies of supplementation for preventing or treating COVID-19.

There is some evidence that daily vitamin D3 supplementation over weeks to months may prevent other acute respiratory infections, particularly in people with low or very low vitamin D status. This evidence has limitations, including heterogeneity in study populations, interventions, and definitions of respiratory infections that include upper and lower respiratory tract involvement.

The current advice is that the whole population of the UK should take vitamin D supplements to prevent vitamin D deficiency. This advice applies irrespective of any possible link with respiratory infection.

Clinicians should treat patients with vitamin D deficiency irrespective of any link with respiratory infection.

Policymakers should attend to public health measures to ensure the population has adequate vitamin D intake.

No link to Covid19 but taking Vit D is a good thing?

No link to Covid19 but taking Vit D is a good thing?

Wouldn't be a vitamin if it wasnt worth having would it!

I wonder why?

Because there is no evidence of a causal relationship I imagine

No link to Covid19 but taking Vit D is a good thing?

There is no money to be made from vitamin D which is why there are very few definitive studies being done. Mostly it is anecdotal evidence which is emerging but if you watch particularly the Dr Robert Heaney video I linked to the evidence is pretty compelling, not just in terms of covid-19 but for all causes of mortality.

There is growing evidence that a lot of coronary heart disease is as a result of calcium deposits in the arteries which vitamin D3 in conjunction with vitamin K2 can reverse. Many doctors dealing with covid-19 are mystified as to why so many patients are dying from organ failure including heart attacks as opposed to pneumonia as would be expected. I think the situation with covid-19 is more complicated than just vitamin D boosting the immune system to fight the disease directly.

Vitamin D deficiency can take several months (depending on dosage) to build up the 25(OH)D3 level in the blood sufficiently to reverse a lot of the health problems caused by the deficiency. Even a large part of the medical profession do not understand the optimum blood serum levels of vitamin D necessary to combat a lot of the health conditions.

The problem with designing a randomised control trial for covid-19 and vitamin D is that you would have to identify two groups of individuals who have not had the virus and supplement one group whilst giving the other a placebo and then tracking the covid-19 outcome in the whole group when infected allowing for all other co-morbidity factors. Near impossible I would say.

Because there is no evidence of a causal relationship I imagine

No, it's because of your refusal to see it. You haven't got an X-Box by any chance have you?

Because there is no evidence of a causal relationship I imagine

No, it’s because of your refusal to see it

Show me the evidence then.

Oxford University review of Vitamin D evidence

VERDICT
We found no clinical evidence on vitamin D in COVID-19. There was no evidence related to vitamin D deficiency predisposing to COVID-19, nor were there studies of supplementation for preventing or treating COVID-19.

Vit D. There's *massive* correlation:

(He cites the original research so you can check.)

What's the downside of preventing yourself from being Vid D deficient? Vit D is cheap, or free.

Vit D. There’s *massive* correlation:

University of Oxford review of the evidence says there isn't. Bloke on the internet citing YouTube says there is.

Who to believe?

Anyway, moving away from the point of the thread really

The problem with designing a randomised control trial for covid-19 and vitamin D is that you would have to identify two groups of individuals who have not had the virus and supplement one group whilst giving the other a placebo and then tracking the covid-19 outcome in the whole group when infected allowing for all other co-morbidity factors. Near impossible I would say.

True, but there have been studies into Vitamin D deficiency and infectious respiratory disease in general and it was found to be a factor:

It's quite a punt with people's lives to rule out a cheap/free action that has no downside and has been shown to reduce ARIs from 60pc to 30pc.

University of Oxford review of the evidence says there isn’t. Bloke on the internet citing YouTube says there is.

Who to believe?

(He cites the original research so you can check.)

"Therefore, maintaining a sufficient vitamin D status in the adults is beneficial in prevention
of ARI and may therefore be of benefit in the COVID-19 pandemic."

It's going to be years before we have a properly published article specific to COVID-19. In the meantime why wouldn't something that prevents ARI prevent be of benefit in the COVID-19 pandemic? ..and what's the downside of taking a free, risk free action? FFS, even if it doesn't help prevent COVID-19 it will *definitely* reduce the chance of other ARIs!

If 80pc of Black people in the USA are Vit D deficient why on Earth wouldn't you want them to have less Acute Infectious Respiratory disease? What about the 40pc of White people who are Vit D deficient? Should they get more Vit D or not?

True, but there have been studies into Vitamin D deficiency and infectious respiratory disease in general and it was found to be a factor:

It’s quite a punt with people’s lives to rule out a cheap/free action that has no downside and has been shown to reduce ARIs from 60pc to 30pc.

outofbreath, I agree. As I said previously there is a lot of evidence out there and the solution as you say is very cheap and easy. Not something drug companies want to hear obviously or many others who refuse to see the evidence.

Vitamin D deficiency across the World is a huge problem not just in terms of covid-19 but in many other diseases. It is a Global scandal that such a cheap and easy fix is being overlooked. The ironic thing is that the lock down is/was just making matters worse by forcing people to stay indoors rather than getting out into the sunshine.