19 Aug 2020 --- In a move to protect against “external threats to the UK’s health” in light of COVID-19, Public Health England (PHE) will be scrapped and replaced by the National Institute for Health Protection. This announcement from Matt Hancock, UK Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has been met with disbelief by many members of the nutrition sector. They note the poor timing of this announcement, while conditions like obesity – a major risk factor for COVID-19 – are feared to be sidelined.
