Writer on scientific matters, Matt Ridley, has published an article in the Telegraph which tries to explain the likely origin. The virus is rapidly fading from the public’s minds but it did kill 20 million people and some are still dying from it with persistent symptoms in other cases.
It is important to identify the source of the virus because it could well happen again with even more devastating impacts. When scientists start manipulating genetic material, it is exceedingly dangerous. His article is present here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/covid-19-lab-leak-origin-most-likely-matt-ridley/ .
He starts the article by saying: “While attempts to identify a seafood market in Wuhan as the source of Covid-19 have failed to find proof, there is growing realization that the source might be the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV). In the period up to 2019, the WIV, in collaboration with EcoHealth Alliance (EHA) and other institutions, brought to Wuhan numerous bat viruses from the distant regions where viruses most similar to SARS-CoV-2 have been identified. They created genetically modified versions of viruses and tested them by infecting human cells and humanised mice, causing significant gains in infectivity and lethality in one known case. They did some of these experiments at inappropriately low safety levels”.
But it’s worth reading the whole article.
Genetic engineering can be a useful tool – there is even a GCSE on the subject. And there is a good recent example of curing a rare disease using CRISPR gene editing technology – see https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/infant-rare-incurable-disease-first-successfully-receive-personalized-gene-therapy-treatment
But it could clearly be misused with very deadly and dangerous consequences. It does need to be heavily regulated.
Roger Lawson (Twitter: https://x.com/RogerWLawson )
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