====== Earlier Origins Hypothesis ======
This **earlier origins hypothesis** article is a branch from the [[SARS-CoV-2:origins|SARS-CoV-2 Origins]] page.

===== Infectious Disease Research =====
[[:Fort Detrick]] in Maryland has long housed infectious agents being researched by military scientists.
  * August 5, 2019 - Deadly Germ Research Is Shut Down at Army Lab Over Safety Concerns((August 5, 2019 | The NYT | [[https://web.archive.org/web/20190806000002/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/05/health/germs-fort-detrick-biohazard.html|Deadly Germ Research Is Shut Down at Army Lab Over Safety Concerns]]))

===== Vaccine Research =====
Although [[vaccines:mRNA vaccines|mRNA vaccines]] had never been successful, both Pfizer and Moderna designed mRNA vaccines independently within days of receiving [[:SARS-CoV-2]] genomic sequences in January, 2020.((December 18, 2020 | Business Insider | [[https://www.businessinsider.com/how-moderna-developed-coronavirus-vaccine-record-time-2020-11|Inside Moderna's historic coronavirus vaccine program that transformed the biotech upstart into a $55 billion drug industry powerhouse]]))
((December 12, 2020 | Business Insider | [[https://www.businessinsider.com/pfizer-biontech-vaccine-designed-in-hours-one-weekend-2020-12?op=1|The co-founder of BioNTech designed the coronavirus vaccine it made with Pfizer in just a few hours over a single day]]))

===== Illnesses Unexplained =====
In 2019, an illness first termed VAPI (changed to EVALI) was noted in the U.S., and was blamed on vaping and e-cigarettes. The illness shares symptomatic features with COVID-19, and resulting hospitalizations formed an ordinary viral infection curve.((March, 2020 | Rossana Segreto | preprint | Is SARS-CoV-2 the causative agent of EVALI cases prior to the Covid-19 pandemic? | [[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/359231017_Is_SARS-CoV-2_the_causative_agent_of_EVALI_cases_prior_to_the_Covid-19_pandemic]]))

  * July 17, 2019 - Unexplained respiratory illness at Virginia retirement community.((July 17, 2019 | NBC Washington | [[https://web.archive.org/web/20200324072408/https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/health-officials-to-give-update-after-respiratory-illness-sickens-dozens-at-virginia-retirement-community/135890/|Cause of Respiratory Illness Still Unknown After Dozens Sickened at Virginia Retirement Community]]))
  * July 31, 2021 - Exclusive: Some 2019 EVALI patients in the US may have been infected with COVID-19: sources((July 31, 2021 | Global Times | [[https://web.archive.org/web/20210731041614/https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202107/1230143.shtml|Exclusive: Some 2019 EVALI patients in the US may have been infected with COVID-19: sources]]))
  * Oct 9, 2019 - Army Confirms Two Soldiers Being Treated for Severe Lung Injuries from Vaping((October 9, 2019 | Military.com | [[https://web.archive.org/web/20191010021209/https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/10/09/army-confirms-two-soldiers-being-treated-severe-lung-injuries-vaping.html|Army Confirms Two Soldiers Being Treated for Severe Lung Injuries from Vaping]]))
  * Feb 11, 2022 - Commentary on the EVALI-as-COVID hypothesis on substack.((February 11, 2022 | [[:The Requestor]] | [[https://therequestor.substack.com/p/is-wuhan-a-red-herring-addendum?s=r|Is Wuhan a Red Herring? Addendum]]))

===== Wastewater Reports =====
Sewage samples from Barcelona, Spain from May, 2019.((June 13, 2020 | Gemma Chavarria-Miro et al | preprint | Sentinel surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater anticipates the occurrence of COVID-19 cases | [[https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.13.20129627v1.full|doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.06.13.20129627]]))

===== Antibody Studies =====
Multiple studies have found SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in pre-pandemic serums in multiple nations.

In a study published in February, 2021, scientists found IgG neutralizing antibodies in serums collected in France from November, 2019, signaling a latest possible outbreak date in France.((February 6, 2021 | Carrat et al | European Journal of Epidemiology | Evidence of early circulation of SARS-CoV-2 in France: findings from the population-based “CONSTANCES” cohort | [[https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10654-020-00716-2|DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-020-00716-2]]))

In a preprint posted on November 13, 2021, scientists note SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in samples as far back as September 3, 2019. There were no samples tested prior to September, 2019, so it is unclear how far back the presence of antibodies might go. These patients were scattered in cities around Italy.((September 13, 2021 | Apolone et al | preprint | Unexpected detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the prepandemic period in Italy | [[https://figshare.com/collections/Unexpected_detection_of_SARS-CoV-2_antibodies_in_the_prepandemic_period_in_Italy/5206852|https://doi.org/10.25384/SAGE.c.5206852.v1]]))

===== Activities Associated with Knowledge of Outbreak =====
The Times of Israel reported in April, 2020 that U.S. intelligence was already contacting other nations and organizations about the outbreak in Wuhan in Novermber, 2019.((April 16, 2020 | The Times of Israel | [[https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-alerted-israel-nato-to-disease-outbreak-in-china-in-november-report/|US alerted Israel, NATO to disease outbreak in China in November — TV report]]))