Post by Fevric J. GlandulesPost by Sn!peCertainly there have been worldwide viral pandemics throughout the
centuries; indeed they are inevitable and re-occurring. I write only
about the origin of this particular current virus.
I understand you.
But is a lab leak *more* probable than a natural species-leak?
The possibility should not be discounted; OTOH those who know
this stuff have sequenced the gene and (apparently) found it
entirely consistent with a natural origin.
I think "natural origin" is far from proven. "Gain of function"
experiments, i.e. to increase infectivity in humans, is rather more
than suspect, IMO.
Post by Fevric J. Glandules<https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2007/02/severe-pandemic-not-overdue-its-not-when-if>
I don't dispute that, however that article is about Influenza. My
understanding is that most new strains of 'flu come about because
of cohabition of humans with livestock, generally fowl, such as is
common in rural China. This facilitates interspecies transmission
and permutation of the Hx and Ny components of the 'flu virus.
Coronavirus is not Influenza, as I'm sure you know. Spontaneous
mutation of Coronavirus, once in the wild, is to be expected because
of its reproduction method. Coronaviruses are prone to mutation by
their nature as an RNA virus (I think, not sure). This says not much
about species-jumping, of course.
However, the smoking gun would appear to be reports of apparently
engineered gene sequences included in Covid-19. That said, I doubt
we will ever know the truth of the matter because of Chinese obstruction
of the recent visiting inspection team and the reported "disappearance"
of both evidence and some of the scientists involved.
Natural? Accidental? Even (perish the thought) deliberate? Experience
shows that Covid is most deadly among the elderly; you might even call
it a "Geriatric Culling Virus". Consider how that might benefit China
with its severe demographic problems, particularly care of the elderly,
as a result of their earlier 'one child per couple' policy. Then there
is the disruption of the rest of the world's economies: a cynical person
might think that useful to China in its current expansionist mood.
Conspiracy theories aside, I'd say that the jury is still out.
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