The new House committee investigating the origins of Covid-19 began its first public hearing yesterday.

Republicans accused D. Fauci of hiding the origin of the virus, while Democrats, for their part, criticized these allegations as biased and unfounded.

But on one point, a cross-party agreement was reached: the virus could indeed have appeared in a laboratory in China.

“Whether it was a lab leak or animal contamination, I think we should go down both of those paths if we ever want to know the truth,” Democratic MP Kweisi Mfume said.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been many different opinions about the scenario of the virus leaking from the laboratory.

Some scholars have taken it as a conspiracy theory. Many Democratic politicians, journalists and others have accepted the explanation that the virus has passed from animals to humans.

Now the FBI and the Department of Energy, which employ top US scientists, say there is a possibility the virus came from a lab. On the other hand, four other US intelligence agencies say it most likely came from animals.

What is the Laboratory Leak Theory?

In fact, there are several theories of leakage from the laboratory.

The most plausible is that the virus accidentally leaked from a laboratory in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where scientists studied it and possibly modified it for research and medical purposes.

This scenario is different from the theory that lab scientists created Covid-19 as a bioweapon or that China deliberately leaked the virus. According to the New York Times, neither pundits nor US officials take this claim seriously.

What is the hypothesis for each explanation?

However, two theories have prevailed so far.

First, it is the theory of natural origin. Animal-to-human transmission is the dominant source of viral diseases, including other coronaviruses and avian influenza. Many of the first confirmed cases of Covid-19 were linked to the animal market in Wuhan.

Secondly, the theory of leakage from the laboratory. According to the US publication, the apparent destruction of evidence by Chinese officials reinforces suspicions of a lab leak. Biological labs around the world also have a history of accidental spills.

However, US officials are divided and admit that they are working with incomplete information, mainly because China has not allowed an independent investigation within its borders.

Why does this discussion matter?

For many, determining the cause of a pandemic that has killed nearly seven million people worldwide, including 1.1 million in the US, is important, regardless of the broader implications.

Knowing the origin of Covid can also help save lives. If the virus originated from an animal, then studying and tracking the spread of viruses in nature could be critical to preventing the next pandemic. Conversely, if it came from the laboratory, then the increased safety and security of virology laboratories will come to the fore.

Will we ever know the origin?

Probably no. Determining the origin of the virus is very difficult. China is obstructing the investigation by blocking external investigations and refusing to share data on the spread of the virus.

But investigations, including one by the House of Representatives, have already sparked controversy about better monitoring of animal viruses and making laboratories safer. These steps could help save lives, even if we never know what actually caused the Covid pandemic.

Source: New York Times.