Alina Chan, a Harvard scientist said to the Science and Technology Select Committee it was’reasonable” to believe that Covid had been genetically engineered in China.
Because Beijing attempted to hide the Wuhan laboratory leak, it is the likely source of the coronavirus epidemic. MPs were informed today.
Alina Chan (a Harvard scientist) stated that Covid has been genetically modified in China.
Also, she said the Chinese Communist Party had covered up the outbreak in Wuhan two year ago. She added that attempts to subvert the World Health Organisation investigation into the source of the pandemic led her to believe the laboratory-leak theory.
Lord Ridley (a Tory peer) said that despite having done two years of research, experts still have not identified the animal host to support natural origin. This supports the claim that Covid was created in a laboratory.
Recently, revelations regarding China’s attempt to cover up have made it clear that the US intelligence agencies and Britain are now serious about taking seriously the “lab-leak” hypothesis. It was previously dismissed as an absurd conspiracy theory.
These bombshell accusations are likely to increase pressure on UK Government to contest Beijing’s claims that the virus was a natural phenomenon. These allegations will also raise questions regarding the relation between Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, and WHO. The WHO was last year accused of publishing a Whitewash Report into the outbreak.
Dr Chan told MPs: ‘I think the lab origin is more likely than not. People who have information on the pandemic’s origin are not allowed to make their claims.
“But we live today in an era when so much information can be stored, it will eventually get out. We have heard from many top virologists that a genetically-engineered origin is reasonable, and that includes virologists who made modifications to the first SARS virus.’
The Lancet Richard Horton editor was also forced to answer why he published a letter decrying the laboratory leak theory as a conspiracy, even though its author had financial connections to the WIV.
According to Mr Horton, he learned about the link between Dr Peter Daszak and him’very quickly’ following publication of the Lancet’s February 2012 letter.
Dr Daszak got 26 additional scientists to agree to his letter in which he claimed that the virus had only been naturally acquired and suggested other causes. This created a ‘fear and rumours, as well as prejudice.
However, it was discovered that the EcoHealth Alliance boss had funneled US tax-payer money into Wuhan’s Wuhan laboratory. This Wuhan lab investigated and modified coronaviruses prior to the pandemic.
The Lancet published an addendum to the letter in June this year – 16 months after it was initially published – acknowledging Dr Dazak’s competing interests.
Shi Zheng Li, Virologist in Hubei Province works alongside her colleague at the Wuhan Institute of Virology’s P4 laboratory
The Wall Street Journal reported in May 2021 that three Chinese scientists at the Wuhan Institute of Virology had sought treatment for their illness. This report was published months before China announced it.
Presumably, President Xi exerts significant influence over Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus the WHO director general. He is a former Ethiopian Minister who has received large amounts of Chinese investment.
Richard Horton, editor of Lancet (left), admitted knowing about Peter Daszak (right), Chinese connections more than one year prior to the journal’s publication of an addendum
Dr Chan added: ‘We know this virus (Covid) has a unique feature, called the furin cleavage site, and without this feature there is no way this would be causing this pandemic.
‘A proposals was leaked showing that EcoHealth and the Wuhan Institute of Virology were developing a pipeline for inserting novel furin cleavage sites. So, you find these scientists who said in early 2018 ‘I’m going to put horns on horses’ and at the end of 2019 a unicorn turns up in Wuhan city.’
Lord Ridley said: ‘I also think it’s more likely than not because we have to face the fact after two months we knew the origins of SARS, and after a couple of months we knew MERS was though through camels, but after two years we still haven’t found a single infected animal that could be the progenitor, and that’s incredibly surprising.
‘We need to find out so we can prevent the next pandemic. We need to know whether we should be tightening up work in laboratories or whether we should be tightening up regulations related to wildlife markets. At the moment we are really not doing either.
‘We also need to know to deter bad actors who are watching this episode and thinking that unleashing a pandemic is something they could get away with.’
A May 2021 report from The Wall Street Journal cited an undisclosed intelligence report detailing how three scientists from China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) sought hospital care in November 2019, months before China disclosed the Covid pandemic.
The lab specialised in engineering dangerous coronaviruses and is the only level four biochemical lab in China.
An article in the respected Science journal on May 14 kick-started the surge in interest for the lab-leak theory.
Some 18 experts wrote in the journal that ‘we must take hypotheses about both natural and laboratory spillovers seriously until we have sufficient data’.
Later that month, a study by British Professor Angus Dalgleish and Norwegian scientist Dr Birger Sørensen claimed it had ‘prima facie evidence of retro-engineering in China’ for a year.
The study included accusations of ‘deliberate destruction, concealment or contamination of data’ at Chinese labs.
Following statements by US Director General WHO, EU and WHO that greater transparency about the causes of this pandemic was necessary and achievable, it took place.
Previously, the theory had been dismissed as conspiracy by most experts, partly because of its association with Donald Trump.
In May, President Joe Biden ordered an investigation into the source of the pandemic virus. He also demanded that scientists investigate the possibility.
The head of the WHO insisted just a day earlier that the theory that Covid emerged from a Wuhan lab has not been ruled out – as he said China should help solve the mystery out of ‘respect’ for the dead.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (the body’s director general) suggested Beijing hadn’t cooperate fully and he called for more transparency in the ongoing investigation.
However, several other sects of the scientific community continue to suggest the virus could only be natural in origin.
A number of papers from recent years have indicated that this virus was first transmitted to animals, just like all coronaviruses.
The first study, published in Scientific Reports , showed some 47,000 wild animals from 38 species were sold across four markets in Wuhan between May 2017 and November 2019.
According to Dr Chris Newman (an evolutionary ecologist from Oxford University), the evidence proved that Wuhan had the right conditions for human-animal transmission.
However, they did not deny that Sars-CoV-2 could have been in any of the animals.
WHO-China also confirmed that the virus likely jumped between bats and humans through an unidentified intermediary animal.
Lord Ridley criticised the Lancet’s lack of transparency. Dr Daszak was only revealed to have links to the laboratory and his role in orchestrating this letter after it had been leaked.
In the grilling with MPs, Dr Horton insisted he did not know about the scientist’s connections to the lab’s so-called ‘bat woman’ Shi Zhengli – who did experimental research on coronaviruses coming from thousands of samples from the animal – until after the letter was published.
But he admitted that his opinion on the theory has now changed, calling it a ‘valid hypothesis that requires investigation’.
Dr Horton explained that Lancet generally accepts declarations by authors of interest as true.
He explained that while the authors made it seem they were not interested in this particular case, however there were other competing interests.
“We didn’t know about those competing interests, but we quickly became aware after he had been subject to a lot of public criticism.”
Dr Horton claimed that Dr Daszak and he differed over whether there was conflict of interest. Dr Daszak, however, said his connection to the lab meant that he is an expert on this topic.
When asked why Dr Daszak took so long to disclose the true nature of his connections, Daszak replied that it was because of a disagreement.
He claimed that there is not enough time or staff available to research the background of each author who has been published in the journal.
He stated that Dr Daszak ought to have expressed his interest in the case at the outset.
According to the editor, the June information should have been added in February’s original letter.
Aaron Bell, Tory MP, criticized Dr Horton over taking so long for Dr Daszak to share his links with the lab.
He stated: “When you presented before us before Dr Horton you indicated the urgency for the pandemic to be addressed quickly.
This seems to be taking far too much.
“I trust Dr Daszak will come forward to give evidence in the future to this committee so that he can understand why your inquiry into his conflict was delayed so long,”
Dr Horton added that the World Health Organization’s investigation into the lab – which in March this year concluded that the leak theory was one of four valid hypotheses for Covid’s origins – had changed his mind that it was impossible for the virus to have come from anything other than natural origin.
But he said he agreed with the organisation’s assertion that it was an unlikely hypothesis – despite acknowledging that the investigation was hampered by Chinese authorities.
He was asked for a percentage of his faith in the theory and said that he agreed with the World Health Organization. However, it is highly unlikely that it would be a viable hypothesis.
Lord Ridley slammed Dr Daszak for not revealing his direct role in funding controversial gain-of-function research – which manipulates viruses to make them more transmissible and deadly and is illegal in Europe – at the lab until the information was leaked.
During the February 3rd, 2021 visit of the WHO team to investigate the origins of Covid (Wuhan Institute of Virology), security personnel kept watch.
He also said it was extraordinary that Dr Daszak’s involvement in orchestrating Lancet letters was only revealed after it was leaked via emails.
He declared:[Daszak]His co-authors were told that the information should not be attributed to him. He continued to serve on the Lancet commission for many months investigating the origins of Covid.
“So, there was a substantial lack of transparency not only from Chinese authorities but also from Western ones on this. That does seem like a big problem.”
The Sunday Times published an investigative report earlier in the year that revealed Beijing was trying to manipulate WHO decision-making, derail investigations and even put officials into office.
This newspaper alleges that the WHO has failed to challenge Chinese misinformation publicly, deferred declaring an international crisis, discouraged governments to place travel bans on China for its economic protection, and delayed declaring a global emergency.
There has been speculation that officials made a “backroom deal” with Chinese officials to reduce the scope of the inquiry into Covid-19’s source.
It meant scientists could not believe that the coronavirus had escaped from Wuhan, but rather came from wild animals found in the city’s wet markets in December 2019.
WHO initially rejected the theory as unlikely, but experts believe that there was human error in the lab’s initial assessment.
It is claimed that China and the WHO had close ties, which has affected the WHO’s ability challenge China about the emerging of the virus.
China is believed to have been using financial leverage on poorer countries for some time in order to get its desired figures appointed as key representatives at UN-governed UN agencies such as WHO.
Tedros is the WHO’s chief decision-maker. He is also a friend and longtime Chinese friend. Two months prior to the outbreak of pandemic, Tedros visited President Xi.
There were approximately 130 Chinese-funded official finance projects in Zimbabwe between 2000 and 2012. Some of these totalled hundreds of millions of pounds and built hydroelectric dams, and provided agricultural machinery.
Zimbabwe was among 53 nations that backed the Hong Kong security law at UN in June 2013. This legislation, which is criticized by Western countries as an attempt to clamp down on protestors, and allow free speech from China, was supported by 53 other countries.
American Infectious Disease Society Fellow Richard Ebright stated to the Times that China had played a crucial role in the Agency’s inability to act.
The WHO’s January-February 2020 stance was based on no policy, medical or scientific reason. This was completely premised upon maintaining satisfactory relations to the Chinese government’, he stated.
“Through this process, WHO actively resisted or obstructed attempts by other countries to implement effective borders controls that could have reduced the spread or contained the outbreak.
Tedros received a remarkable return on investment for his support, especially when you consider the influence and money he used to get elected.
An organisation spokesperson rebutted to the claims by saying, “WHO’s top priority in ending the acute stage Covid-19 pandemic.”
Later, they added that “The Sunday Times article is riddled inaccuracies falsehoods half-truths unsubstantiated assertions willful distortions and intentional omissions of any item not fitting the predetermined premise of this story.”
“There have been many independent reviews of global responses to Covid-19. They include WHO work. The reviews take note of WHO work as well as the early warnings that we gave.
“Frankly, WHO’s highest priority is to end the COVID-19 acute phase. We are helping countries implement evidence-based, comprehensive responses. This includes the use consistent of public health measures, and equitable use life-saving tools such as vaccines.
“In particular we work to make it possible for all countries, including health workers, elderly people, and vulnerable groups to get vaccinated. This is at a moment when only 10 countries are responsible for 75% of vaccines.