Boost Immunity against COVID-19, Foundation Tells Nigerians

Martins Ifijeh

The Iyayi Efianayi Foundation has called on Nigerians to boost their immunities against COVID-19.

In a statement signed by the foundation’s President, Dr. Caesar Osaheni-Iyayi recently, the nongovernmental organisation said strengthening immune system should also include exposure to sunlight.

Osahen-Iyayi said: “We are already familiar with the treatment protocol of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). The only thing I want to add is that the period that they expose our people to sunlight is 15 minutes between the hours of 10 and 11 am.

Studies have indicated that for white people, 15 minutes is sufficient but for black people we have to stay there for over one hour.

“Vitamin D is useful for the absorption of calcium and phosphorous but there is a new concern in Norway and a lot of cities in America. People found out that many black people were dying disproportionately to the population compared to the white people. And what is the commonality between all these black people is that they lack vitamin D.

“The same scenario played itself out in Holland where a group of black Ethiopians domiciled in a particular region with less than one percent of the entire population while about 48 percent of the death in Holland is attributed to the group.”

He said the primary function of vitamin D was to aid the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, but that it was also linked to promotion of immunity. “So, what we want to say at this point is that if our people cannot be allowed to stay under the sun at the NCDC centre for more than 15 minutes, then they should be given vitamin D supplements,” he added.