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Origins of SARS-CoV-2
The origins of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus are hotly debated, but crucially important for understanding the totality of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meta-Commentary on Origins Theories and Controversies
- February 16, 2021, “Why China and the WHO Will Never Find a Zoonotic Origin For the COVID-19 Pandemic Virus” by Jonathan Latham, PhD and Allison Wilson, PhD.2)
- Apr 1, 2021 - Dan Serotka opines on quasispecies mutant swarms.3)
- May 2, 2021 (Nicholas Wade) Commentary on theories
- Aug 17, 2021 (thebulletin) How C19’s origins were obscured, by East and West.
- Feb 22, 2022 Dr. Robert Malone discusses the Wuhan lab leak theory with EcoHealth Alliance whistleblower Andrew Huff.4)
Engineering Consensus of a Narrative
- May 23, 2021 (judithcurry) Collapse of the fake consensus on C19 origins
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- Anderson emailed Fauci on Jan 31, Fauci responded Feb 1; and the draft of the Natural Origins paper was complete on Feb 1.
- June 6, 2021 (Alex Berenson) Anderson told Fauci SC2 looked engineered, then later that day publicly said the opposite!
- Aug 11, 2021 (usrtk) Scientist who authored article denying lab engineering privately acknowledged possible lab origin.
- Shan-Lu Liu (Ohio State)
- February 10, 2022 - WIV Virologist Shi Zhengli employs a “personal propagandist” to handle public relations.5)
Evidence Tampering
The Missing Coronavirus Genetic Database
On the 12th Sep 2019, the main database administered by Shi Zhengli of samples and viral sequences at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) went offline. At some point, each of the other 15 virus databases managed by the WIV was taken offline.6)
NIH Deletes Genomic Data
A FOIA filed by the Virginia group Empower Oversight Whistleblowers and Researchers revealed that on June 16, 2020, the NIH deleted genetic sequencing data from Wuhan at the behest of a Wuhan researcher. From those documents: “Professor Trevor Bedford of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center later sent the group an email stating that the deleted data seemed to support the idea that the pandemic began outside the Huanan market in Wuhan and that the matter must be analyzed properly.”7)
Rearrangement of Wuhan Data
- Mar 5, 2022 - Charles Rixey contests data from Worobey paper studying Wuhan outbreak.8)
Investigations in the Origins of SARS-CoV-2
This section may also include, or even be dominated by “investigations” that were meant to deceive rather than reveal information.
WHO Investigation
Peter Daszak admitted that he and the investigatory team did not even ask for the missing bat virus database from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.9)
Withheld Information
- The NIH continues to withhold critical documents that could shed light on the origin of the coronavirus pandemic.10)
Origins Hypotheses
Note that some of these hypotheses are not mutually exclusive.
Earlier Circulation Hypothesis
- December 20, 2021 - Evidence for a Potential Pre-Pandemic SARS-like Coronavirus Among Animals in North America11)
Zoonotic Origins Hypothesis
Since the start of the pandemic, authorities have primarily promoted a theory of zoonotic transfer from an animal host to humans.
Bat Coronaviruses
SARS-CoV-2 is most highly similar to coronaviruses that have been found in bats.
The RaTG13 betacoronavirus is the most highly similar coronavirus to SARS-CoV-2, sharing 98.7% identical mitochondrial rRNA, but was supposedly generated from a bat fecal swab, which strikes some scientists as unlikely since metagenomic analysis shows a small 10.3% bacterial rRNA in the dataset.12)
More recently, close coronavirus relatives to SARS-CoV-2 have been found in bats in Laos.13) Some scientists claim this bolsters to the zoonotic origins theory while giving no answers to the numerous critiques of that theory.14)
Conflicts of Interest
Since the start of the SARS-CoV-2 origins debate, a great deal of information has surfaced regarding what at least stand out as conflicts of interest, if not outright corruption, among those defending theories of natural origins. At least $50 million in NIAID funding went to scientists instrumental in defending the natural origins hypothesis.15)
Related Research
- July 25, 2020 - Poudel et al: Animal coronaviruses and coronavirus disease 2019: Lesson for One Health approach.16)
Not China Hypothesis
The coronavirus may not have originated in China, says Oxford professor.17)
3)
April 1, 2021 | Dan Serotka | Harvard2TheBigHouse | Golden Silkworms in Pandora's Box
4)
February 22, 2022 | TrialSite News | Robert Malone and EcoHealth Whistleblower Andrew Huff Discuss Wuhan Lab Leak Theory via YouTube
5)
February 10, 2022 | Eugyppius | The Bat Lady from Wuhan and the Very Clumsy Lies She Tells
6)
February, 2021 | Billy Bostickson et al | preprint | An investigation into the WIV databases that were taken offline | DOI:10.13140/RG.2.2.28029.08160
8)
March 5, 2022 | Charles Rixey | Tweet
9)
March 11, 2021 | Small Dead Animals | One Flu Out Of The Wuhan Nest
11)
December 20, 2021 | Trevor Hancock et al | Evidence for a Potential Pre-Pandemic SARS-like Coronavirus Among Animals in North America | doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.12.17.473265
12)
November 22, 2021 | Steven E Massey | preprint | arXiv:2111.09469
13)
September 17, 2021 | Temmam et al | preprint | DOI:
10.21203/rs.3.rs-871965/v1
14)
September 24, 2021 | Smriti Mallapaty | Nature | Closest known relatives of virus behind COVID-19 found in Laos
16)
July 25, 2020 | Poudel et al | Open Veterinary Journal | Animal coronaviruses and coronavirus disease 2019: Lesson for One Health approach