Window Is Closing for Key Scientific Studies | A Science in the Shadows | Guide to Investigating Outbreak Origins, and more

Covid 19: We Need a Full Open Independent Investigation into Its Origins  (Fiona Godlee, BMJ)
When news first broke that a contagious and deadly new virus had emerged in Wuhan, many were struck by the coincidence of the city being the home of one of the world’s top virus research laboratories. But any suggestion that the virus originated in a laboratory was quickly labelled a conspiracy theory, dismissed by mainstream media, and even banned from Facebook. Donald Trump’s support helped the theory on its way to being something that no progressive thinking person could entertain.
But, as Paul Thacker explains (doi:10.1136/bmj.n1656),1 suppression of the lab leak theory was not based on any clear evaluation of the science. Indeed, it happened despite no good counter-evidence for the alternative: natural spillover from animals to humans. Instead the lab leak theory sank under the weight of a concerted campaign by heavily conflicted scientists, leading to a “year of biased, failed reporting” by science journalists and journals. Now, thanks to the seismic shift in US politics and some dogged and fearless journalism, the theory is emerging from the shadows into mainstream public debate. We don’t know which theory is right, but a lab leak is plausible and worthy of serious inquiry.

A Science in the Shadows  (David Willman and Madison Muller, Washington Post)
Controls on ‘gain of function’ experiments with supercharged pathogens have been undercut despite concerns about lab leaks

A Guide to Investigating Outbreak Origins: Nature versus the Laboratory  (Richard Pilch et al., James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies)
COVID-19 has exposed key gaps in the global community’s ability to assess infectious disease outbreaks of international concern, in particular the ability to differentiate between natural and laboratory sources of infection. The risk of natural outbreaks is increasing as unchecked population growth, industrial expansion, and corresponding ecological disruption increases the likelihood that novel disease agents will come into contact with naïve human populations. Likewise, the risk of laboratory accidents is increasing as more high-containment laboratories are built and higher risk experiments are conducted around the world. Meanwhile, a deliberate biological attack may resemble an outbreak of natural or accidental origin, and a natural or accidental outbreak may be misattributed as an attack.

The Lab Leak Theory for the Origin of COVID-19 Is Fading  (Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times)
Recent scientific papers give more credence to “zoonotic” origin of the virus — that is that it spread to humans from animal hosts, not through leak from a lab..

Delta Variant Proves Covid-19 Lab Leak Theory Is “Extremely Unlikely,” Says Scientist  (Linda Lew, SCMP)
Evolutionary biologist slams ‘school kids’ politics over Covid-19 origins and says scientists should be ‘more circumspect’. Lingering questions over role of Wuhan institute should be addressed, asserts virologist.