We all have elderly friends or family or those that are compromised by underlying health issues that are at risk of a poor outcome due to COVID-19 as restrictions get lifted.  However, it is not just the elderly or sick that are at risk. Other known groups within the community (such as BAME, non-mobile, obese, immuno-suppressed to name a few)  have well documented issues associated with dealing with this disease. 

These issues put such groups at a serious, if not deadly, disadvantage when it comes to getting and fighting off COVID-19.  Let's call them "disadvantaged groups".  The vast majority of these disadvantaged groups will be unaware of how to improve their chances due to the lack of any advice from Government or main stream media that highlights how most people can best help themselves reduce the risk of catching or fighting off the virus. 

The recent report by Public Health England (PHE) released yesterday (PHE Report) into the disparities in the risk and outcomes of Covid-19 commissioned by the Department of Health (DoH) starkly acknowledges these disparities but provides no guidance whatsoever on how to alleviate these risks or improve the chances of the disadvantaged groups.  

There is therefore a need right now, whilst a vaccine is unavailable, to counter the threat of COVID-19 by making the immune system health of the nation as good as it can be.  By changing the message being given with a greater emphasis on prevention rather than cure, these disadvantaged groups and the general population can take some steps right now to improve health outcomes and stay as healthy as possible. 

One of these is the intake of better nutrition.  There are some immediate benefits that can be achieved by improving nutrition. A call for this advice has been made in an article in the British Medical Journal written by Dr Emma Derbyshire PhD and Dr Joanne Delange PhD (https://nutrition.bmj.com/content/early/2020/05/04/bmjnph-2020-000071

In a press release yesterday Dr Chaand Nagpaul, British Medical Association Council chair, said of the PHE Report:

“The BMA and the wider community were hoping for a clear action plan to tackle the issues, not a re-iteration of what we already know."

However, no advice has been expressed by PHE, DoH or the Government on how to improve the Nation's immune system health.  Something that should be obvious if not critical to help combat this awful disease.

This Petition is seeking support for the views expressed by Drs Derbyshire and Delange and those of the British Medical Association by calling for advice and guidance from PHE and DoH:

(1)  for the benefit of disadvantaged groups at greater risk of poor outcomes related to COVID-19;

(2) to improve the Nation's immune system health generally by using preventative methods such as nutrition.

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