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| sars-cov-2:origins:lab_leak_hypothesis [2022/09/08 19:41] pamela [Denials of the Lab Leak Hypothesis] | sars-cov-2:origins:lab_leak_hypothesis [2022/09/08 19:44] (current) pamela [Congressional Investigation Findings] | ||
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| ==== Congressional Investigation Findings ==== | ==== Congressional Investigation Findings ==== | ||
| - | More than one year after the World Health Organization declared a pandemic, the world is still reeling from the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the disease it causes, COVID-19. More than four million people have lost their lives worldwide, including more than 612,000 Americans, while economies around the world have been devastated by the fallout. This report investigates the origin of this virus and looks at how it became a deadly pandemic. | + | More than one year after the [[:World Health Organization]] declared a pandemic, the world is still reeling from the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the disease it causes, COVID-19. More than four million people have lost their lives worldwide, including more than 612,000 Americans, while economies around the world have been devastated by the fallout. This report investigates the origin of this virus and looks at how it became a deadly pandemic. |
| === The Wuhan Institute of Virology === | === The Wuhan Institute of Virology === | ||
| - | Last September, the House Foreign Affairs Committee Minority Staff, under the direction of Ranking Member Michael T. McCaul, released a report on the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. That report highlighted the possibility SARS-CoV-2 could have leaked from the [[:Wuhan Institute of Virology]] (WIV). However, as we continued our investigation and uncovered more information, | + | Last September, the House Foreign Affairs Committee Minority Staff, under the direction of Ranking Member |
| This is based upon multiple pieces of evidence laid out in the report, including: | This is based upon multiple pieces of evidence laid out in the report, including: | ||
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| * Safety concerns expressed by top PRC scientists in 2019 and unusually scheduled | * Safety concerns expressed by top PRC scientists in 2019 and unusually scheduled | ||
| * maintenance at the WIV; | * maintenance at the WIV; | ||
| - | * Athletes at the Military World Games held in Wuhan in October 2019 who | + | * Athletes at the [[:Military World Games]] held in Wuhan in October 2019 who |
| * became sick with symptoms similar to COVID-19 both while in Wuhan and also | * became sick with symptoms similar to COVID-19 both while in Wuhan and also | ||
| * shortly after returning to their home countries; | * shortly after returning to their home countries; | ||
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| === Genetic Modification === | === Genetic Modification === | ||
| - | This report also lays out ample evidence that researchers at the WIV, in conjunction with U.S. scientists and funded by both the PRC government and the U.S. government, were conducting gain-of-function research on coronaviruses at the WIV, at times under BSL-2 conditions. | + | This report also lays out ample evidence that researchers at the WIV, in conjunction with U.S. scientists and funded by both the PRC government and the U.S. government, were conducting |
| Much of this research was focused on modifying the spike protein of coronaviruses that could not infect humans so they could bind to human immune systems. The stated purpose of this work was to identified viruses with pandemic potential and to create a broad-spectrum coronavirus vaccine. In many instances, the | Much of this research was focused on modifying the spike protein of coronaviruses that could not infect humans so they could bind to human immune systems. The stated purpose of this work was to identified viruses with pandemic potential and to create a broad-spectrum coronavirus vaccine. In many instances, the | ||
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| viruses – that could infect human immune systems. With dangerous research like this conducted at safety levels similar to a dentist’s office, a natural or genetically modified virus could have easily escaped the lab and infected the community. | viruses – that could infect human immune systems. With dangerous research like this conducted at safety levels similar to a dentist’s office, a natural or genetically modified virus could have easily escaped the lab and infected the community. | ||
| - | Committee Minority Staff has also identified scientists who are directly tied to the WIV, and who worked on gain-of-function research in the years prior to the start of the current pandemic, who had the ability to modify genetically modify coronaviruses without leaving any trace evidence. An American scientist, Dr. Ralph Baric, assisted in creating a method to leave no trace of genetic modification as early as 2005. | + | Committee Minority Staff has also identified scientists who are directly tied to the WIV, and who worked on gain-of-function research in the years prior to the start of the current pandemic, who had the ability to modify genetically modify coronaviruses without leaving any trace evidence. An American scientist, Dr. [[:Ralph Baric]], assisted in creating a method to leave no trace of genetic modification as early as 2005. |
| And as early as 2016, scientists working at the WIV were able to do the same. This makes it clear that claims by the scientific community that [[: | And as early as 2016, scientists working at the WIV were able to do the same. This makes it clear that claims by the scientific community that [[: | ||
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| === Next Steps === | === Next Steps === | ||
| - | After this extensive investigation, | + | After this extensive investigation, |
| * Institute a ban on conducting and funding any work that includes gain-of-function research until an international and legally binding standard is set, and only where that standard is verifiably being followed. | * Institute a ban on conducting and funding any work that includes gain-of-function research until an international and legally binding standard is set, and only where that standard is verifiably being followed. | ||