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One proposed solution has gained attention in recent weeks: Vitamin D.
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A link between vitamin D and COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, caught the eye of U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Glenbeulah. 
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In a May 21, 2020 news release, Grothman encouraged the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to look into vitamin D’s impact on the virus. The release said:
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"Research illustrates a clear correlation between vitamin D deficiencies and (higher) COVID-19 mortality rates."
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Studies cited by Grothman do suggest vitamin D deficiencies may have contributed to COVID-19 deaths in some countries. But many questions remain about the relationship between the two, and researchers say more work should be done to better understand it.
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Is Grothman right about the correlation?
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Vitamin D and COVID-19 deaths
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Grothman’s news release cited studies out of Northwestern University and Trinity College in Dublin that reached similar conclusions: Countries with more deaths from the virus, such as Spain and Italy, also had higher rates of vitamin D deficiencies.  Vadim Backman, a Northwestern professor who helped author one study, told the university website Northwestern Now:
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"We saw a significant correlation with vitamin D deficiency." 
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Why look into vitamin D in the first place?
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Aside from building healthy bones, vitamin D can boost the immune system by suppressing what’s called a cytokine storm — severe inflammation that occurs when the immune system becomes overactive and releases too many cytokine proteins.
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Backman said cytokine storms may contribute to COVID-19 deaths because the storms can damage people’s lungs. An April 17, 2020 article on WebMD also indicated that patients with severe COVID-19 symptoms had high levels of cytokines in their system.
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The idea, then, is that vitamin D could suppress a catastrophic immune response and prevent people from developing severe COVID-19 symptoms that lead to death. Backman said in the interview:
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"It will not prevent a patient from contracting the virus, but it may reduce complications and prevent death in those who are infected." 
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Let’s return to Grothman.
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He did not say researchers found a connection, only a correlation between vitamin D levels and COVID-19 deaths. That’s on target. Vitamin D is by no means a cure for the virus, and Grothman conceded that we don’t yet know the extent of the relationship.
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In an interview with PolitiFact Wisconsin, Grothman reiterated his belief that federal agencies should further explore the issue. He said: 
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"I think a lot of times, the CDC and (National Institutes of Health) and that crowd primarily focus on new drugs. If you have something right under your nose, let’s go with it."
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What researchers say
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For now, researchers caution against reading too much into the available studies. 
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J. Wesley Pike, a biochemistry professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said there is not enough proof yet to suggest a meaningful relationship between vitamin D and COVID-19. Researchers will need to conduct further studies to determine if that vitamin is effective in combating the coronavirus.  Pike said:
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"There’s simply no evidence that taking vitamin D will protect you.  But again, we don’t know. The answer is it’s possible." 
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A group of researchers in Europe and the United Kingdom noted in a May 2020 paper that vitamin D supports the immune system and is recommended to help people maintain a healthy lifestyle. People can up their intake and avoid deficiencies through supplements, eating vitamin D-rich food and getting safe sunlight exposure.
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But vitamin D is not a "magic bullet" to prevent or treat COVID-19, they wrote, and should not be taken in excessive doses that could present their own health risks.
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Politifact ruling
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Grothman claimed "research illustrates a clear correlation between vitamin D deficiencies and (higher) COVID-19 mortality rates."
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Early studies into vitamin D suggests it may curb the severity of COVID-19 symptoms and reduce mortality rates. Further research is needed to examine the issue, and vitamin D is not a cure for the coronavirus. 
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But Grothman did not say it was a cure, only that there was a correlation. One expert noted the correlation was "significant"
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<strong>Sources</strong>: 
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The Infodemic: Is There a Link Between Vitamin D Deficiency COVID-19 Mortality? Polygraph via VOAnews.com, June 8, 2020
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Research illustrates a clear correlation between vitamin D deficiencies and (higher) COVID-19 mortality rates, Politifact/Haley BeMiller, June 8, 2020
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YES, there a link between vitamin D deficiency and COVID-19 mortality, but it is not a cure