Wed June, 2021, Age: 2 years
In response to the recent resurgence of interest in the so-called “lab leak theory” about the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, Justin Ling notes that there is very little new scientific evidence to promote the theory. Instead, he argues that while it is irrefutable that Chinese infectious disease research is secretive and riskier than it should be, much of the new discussion is based on speculation and a drive to create a new narrative around a geopolitically sensitive topic. “Discovering, with absolute certainty, the exact origin of COVID-19 may be impossible,” Ling writes. “But it is crucial that we let science, not hype or anxiety, determine the possible scenarios.”
