A new report suggests that the COVID-19 virus likely leaked from a Chinese lab due to US funding for high-risk research on infectious viruses. Alina Chan, a Harvard and MIT molecular biologist, published the analysis, advocating for further investigation into the lab leak theory. The theory suggests that the pandemic’s origin was the result of US-supported research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, leading to the most costly accident in the history of science.
Research conducted by scientists at the Wuhan Institute of Virology focused on finding SARS-like viruses to understand their infectivity in humans. Samples obtained from bats located about 1,000 miles from Wuhan were analyzed at the lab. Despite the highly contagious nature of the virus, no infections were detected along the 1,000-mile route to Wuhan. The theory that the virus originated from the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan was debunked, as evidence suggests the virus was spreading between humans before the outbreak at the market occurred.
Collaborative efforts between Wuhan researchers and the US-based EcoHealth Alliance led to research on the infectious nature of viruses like SARS-CoV-2. This research involved genetic reconstruction and recombination of virus samples across different animal species, resulting in unprecedented infections. However, access to the database containing over 22,000 samples was restricted in 2019, and a leaked grant proposal in 2021 revealed plans to create viruses similar to SARS-CoV-2, raising further concerns about lab-created viruses.
The theory that COVID-19 originated from a lab in China has gained traction recently after years of being dismissed as a conspiracy theory. The Wuhan lab’s safety protocols were deemed inadequate to contain an airborne virus as infectious as SARS-CoV-2, operating under Biosafety Level 2 rather than Level 3 containment. Reports of Wuhan lab scientists experiencing COVID-like symptoms in fall 2019 raise suspicions about the virus escaping from the lab. The first report of a viral pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan was made public on Dec. 31, 2019.
In light of the evidence indicating a possible lab origin of COVID-19, Alina Chan calls for investigations into exchanges between Wuhan scientists and international partners to identify potential loopholes. She also urges Dr. Anthony Fauci to cooperate with the investigation, highlighting US federal funding’s contribution to the research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Chan emphasizes the need to address the risks associated with research on viruses with pandemic potential to prevent future outbreaks. The US government and global community are urged to take action to mitigate the dangers posed by such research.
