zlacker

>>todd8+(OP)
Judging by the comments in this thread, it seems a lot of people are still unaware that:

1. Gain of function research primarily uses samples collected from nature, and seeks to stimulate their evolution in as natural a way as possible to learn how viruses evolve in nature. If such viruses were to escape the lab, they would appear "natural"

2. It's not xenophobic for people from the US to suggest the possibility of a lab leak, because the US was itself funding gain of function research on novel coronaviruses in the Wuhan BSL4 lab

3. Lab leaks happen more often than most people realize[1]

[1]https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/3/20/18260669/deadly...

>>loveis+Oj
You are missing the important bit: The lab leak would have to be covered up by the Chinese authorities and the WHO would some how have had to be in on it.

Read the section in the WHO report on COVID19 and listen to the reputable international scientist that actually went and visited the lab and interviewed the people who worked there.

https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus/origins-of-the...

>>throwa+DQ
To think that China couldn't or wouldn't carefully control this situation and what information is available to external parties is being credulous to the point of this sounding like propaganda. They did everything they could to downplay the severity of the issue for months while they had people in hazmat suits trying to decon Wuhan.

>>rebelo+lu1
Why didn't they do the same for the SARS-CoV-1 leaks that happened in Beijing over a decade ago, then?

>>jedueh+XC1
Is everyone forgetting china tried to sweep that under the rug initially?

>>philli+lX1
Source?

As far as I know, the government may have tried, but the scientists themselves were not down with it.

This sort of culture of the openness of science is why the Chinese government distrusts scientists inherently. And also why Shi Zhengli has maintained an extremely consistent story with the pandemic despite the government's changing its story like 3 times. Also why they've since silenced her. They don't trust their own citizens, and definitely not their own scientists.

>>jedueh+VZ1
It's common knowledge that the CCP tried to cover up the SARS outbreak initially, and then later changed course. Just like they tried to fly under the radar with covid-19, the WHO changed the timeline last year admitting China never informed them. Then China tried to silence anyone who spoke out about it. It makes you wonder what would have happened if Taiwan never requested information from the WHO, effectively informing the WHO to begin with.