Kerby Anderson

Three years ago, when we were dealing with a pandemic that started with a virus first discovered in China, the idea of a lab leak made sense. Was it just a coincidence that this coronavirus was discovered in the same location as the Wuhan Institute of Virology?

As time went on, no scientist found this specific virus in any other animal host. The “wet market” theory made little sense and turned out to be all wet. And molecular biologists reported that the virus had a unique 12-letter sequence that looked engineered. Instead, scientists and journalists labeled the lab leak theory a bigoted and dangerous conspiracy theory.

We now have the emails. In January 2020, one scientist wrote to Anthony Fauci that he and other scientists concluded that COVID-19 was “inconsistent with expectations from the evolutionary (that is, zoonotic) theory.” Days later Francis Collins wrote that if the lab leak theory were accepted, “the voice of conspiracy will quickly dominate, doing great potential harm to science and international harmony.” A few days later, most scientists got on the same page and said the belief in a lab leak was one of those “crackpot theories.”

The mainstream press took note and roundly criticized US senators and other speakers for suggesting the possibility of a lab leak. The Washington Post referred to it as “a coronavirus fringe theory.” Social media followed suit and worked overtime to downplay any mention or discussion of a lab leak. Anyone who even mentioned that this was a China virus was called racist.

We may never know for certain the origin of the virus. But we do know two things: many scientists were distorting the truth and many in the press were suppressing the truth.