That viewpoint basically amounts to head in the sand. There is a plausible pathway to determine the origin. The lab could be openly investigated and the natural

That viewpoint basically amounts to head in the sand. There is a plausible pathway to determine the origin. The lab could be openly investigated and the natural environment could be combed for an ancestor. If this was an unintentional release, it would vastly change the public perception and oversight protocols around pathogen research. Think what Chernobyl, Three Mile Island and Fukushima did to nuclear energy. If we don't get open cooperation from China, it's also extremely useful information and helps all other nations recalibrate their levels of trust and ties. Because if a future lab release happens, it could be so, so much worse. If it seems impossible, disease was a contributing factor in 31 species' extinctions that we know of, and those diseases were of natural origin.[1] The Plague of Justinian, also of natural origin, is estimated to have killed up to half the world's population at the time. After the last year, can we really afford to take these risks lightly anymore? [1] https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.brown.edu/Research/Sax_Research_Lab/Documents/PDFs/evidemnce%2520for%2520role%2520of%2520disease.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiCl-n1zdHwAhVjiYsKHctPADkQFjAAegQIAxAC&usg=AOvVaw2B5DeRTJOID5t0lXfdfwaj https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https:/...