The article is interesting and pertinent, but the author has an obvious political ax to grind.
“Science is supposedly a self-correcting community of experts who constantly check each other’s work. So why didn’t other virologists point out that the Andersen group’s argument was full of absurdly large holes? Perhaps because in today’s universities speech can be very costly. Careers can be destroyed for stepping out of line. Any virologist who challenges the community’s declared view risks having his next grant application turned down by the panel of fellow virologists that advises the government grant distribution agency.”
“To my knowledge, no major newspaper or television network has yet provided readers with an in-depth news story of the lab escape scenario, such as the one you have just read, although some have run brief editorials or opinion pieces."
Nonesense. Here are several articles on the lab-leak theory from the Washington Post, NY Magazine, NYT and USA Today. They are long and well-researched, including statements from scientists.
Opinion: State Department cables warned of safety issues at Wuhan lab studying bat coronaviruses
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/04/14/state-department-cables-warned-safety-issues-wuhan-lab-studying-bat-coronaviruses/
The Lab-Leak Hypothesis For decades, scientists have been hot-wiring viruses in hopes of preventing a pandemic, not causing one. But what if …?
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/coronavirus-lab-escape-theory.html
Could an accident have caused COVID-19? Why the Wuhan lab-leak theory shouldn't be dismissed
https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/opinion/2021/03/22/why-covid-lab-leak-theory-wuhan-shouldnt-dismissed-column/4765985001/
On W.H.O. Trip, China Refused to Hand Over Important Data
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/12/world/asia/china-world-health-organization-coronavirus.html
A group of scientists also have questioned the natural origins hypothesis and called for a full and open investigation of all hypotheses about the origins of the virus.
https://s.wsj.net/public/resources/documents/COVID%20OPEN%20LETTER%20FINAL%20030421%20(1).pdf
The Trump administration’s “bull-in-the-china-shop” attempts to politicize the virus from the start didn’t help matters in creating an international process that would examine how and when the outbreak started. Just look at the tit-for-tat response from the Chinese government, shifting the narrative that the virus was created in a U.S. military lab.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/20/china-revives-conspiracy-theory-of-us-army-link-to-covid
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic serves as a potent reminder of the devastation that can be wrought when a new virus infects humans for the first time,” said NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci. “The CREID network will enable early warnings of emerging diseases wherever they occur, which will be critical to rapid responses. The knowledge gained through this research will increase our preparedness for future outbreaks.”
For more information about the CREID network, visit
https://creid-network.org.
The Coordinating Center, 10 CREIDs, principal investigators, Center name, research regions and grant numbers are:
Donald Brambilla, Ph.D., RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
Tony Moody, M.D., Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
CREID Coordinating Center; 1 U01AI151378-01
Kristian Andersen, Ph.D., Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
West African Emerging Infectious Disease Research Center (WAEIDRC)
West Africa; 1 U01 AI151812-01
Peter Daszak, Ph.D., EcoHealth Alliance, Inc., New York, New York
Emerging Infectious Diseases-South East Asia Research Collaboration Hub (EID-SEARCH)
Southeast Asia; 1 U01 AI151797-01
https://www.niaid.nih.gov/news-events/niaid-establishes-centers-research-emerging-infectious-diseasesIn addition to the explanations of the roles of virus manipulation with a "seamless" approach or "serial passage", spike proteins, genomes, chimeras, furin cleavage sites and codons; you may recognize the 2nd and 3rd names on the August 2020 NIAID grant list of recipients and the kind words Fauci has to say about the recipients and their work.
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