Economist Podcasts On the origins and the specious: the SARS-CoV-2 lab-leak theory
May 27, 2021
Natasha Loader, Health policy editor at The Economist, and Callum Williams, Senior economics writer at The Economist, delve into the contentious lab-leak theory of SARS-CoV-2's origins, examining fresh evidence and political ramifications. They discuss the grim economic impacts of strict COVID-19 lockdowns in Latin America, revealing severe GDP declines and contrasting recovery efforts with wealthier nations. The conversation also touches on innovative shark breeding techniques, aiming to boost genetic diversity in threatened populations.
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COVID-19 Origins
- The COVID-19 pandemic's origin has two main theories: zoonotic spillover and a lab leak.
- The lab leak theory, while initially dismissed, is gaining traction due to unanswered questions and circumstantial evidence.
Wuhan's Virology Centers
- The lab leak theory is plausible because the outbreak started in Wuhan, home to the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
- This institute, along with the Wuhan Centers for Disease Control, worked with bat coronaviruses, increasing the theory's possibility.
Wuhan Lab Workers' Illness
- Claims of three Wuhan lab workers falling ill before the outbreak have resurfaced.
- These claims, initially aired by the Trump administration, coincide with the World Health Assembly, where the US seeks another investigation.