Apparently there's a small chance that Covid was a lab leak.
The first known coronavirus to have caused serious illness in humans, SARS-CoV, also likely originated in bats, which then infected civet cats (a farmed wild animal), which then infected humans. Once the virus made the leap to humans, it spread throughout the world, causing the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak of 2003. In 2012, another coronavirus, MERS-CoV, spread from bats into camels and caused cases of Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (MERS). Yet, in the case of COVID-19, after more than a year of searching, no intermediate host has been found.
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(though, okay, this part kinda goes against the previous statement that the first SARS was a lab leak?). Of course, the WHO has to make political statements if it wants to get any kind of access, but that also speaks to how many of the great powers have stripped the WHO of much of its powers and ability (sound familiar) and funding. So why wouldn't it go the political route when its very funding is on the line (and at all times too)?
So it seems that smaller countries (especially the likes of Taiwan and S.Korea) are the ones that have come out the best, with a good mixture of science and skepticism (of those initial claims). Let's see if we find out the truth...
Still, it means that, in this future Cold War between the US and China (or the one between the oligarchs in each country), obfuscation will win out over more transparent international organizations when that's exactly what we need right now.
