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Slack / Private Message Drop, p.333 [SLACK_000547] · slack_pm:msg:03506

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Porton Down does have that bad rap after all

In context

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2020-12-21 13:49 Robert F. Garry open

Next up: the DRASTIC krewe advances their theory that the UK variant is a lab escape. Don't bother, but this from one of the DRASTIC stars: "Both the S1, the RBM and the FCS of the UK variant show obvious sign of adaptation inmice." Will Alina, Relman Ebright jump on the bandwagon?:exploding_head:
2020-12-21 13:52 Andrew Rambaut open

It is a way more likely hypothesis than the Wuhan lab in that there is provably SARS-CoV-2 in hundreds of labs doing a thousand different experiments.
2020-12-21 13:52 Edward C. Holmes open

SO3
2020-12-21 13:52 Andrew Rambaut open

We even considered it for a bit
2020-12-21 13:54 Edward C. Holmes

Porton Down does have that bad rap after all
2020-12-21 13:54 Andrew Rambaut open

But given the South African outbreak has a very similar pattern I am still going for chronic immunocompromised human (and there are obviously lots in South Africa).
2020-12-21 13:56 Edward C. Holmes open

Totally agree. Might be good if DRASTIC were distracted for a while.
2020-12-21 14:04 Kristian G. Andersen open

Chronic infection seems more likely to me - however, I don't think we can rule out potential epizootic spilling back into humans. But all these mutations certainly look consistent with chronic infection
2020-12-21 14:05 Kristian G. Andersen open

Bob, from the paper above - really does seem 501 is a key 'transmission' residue. Of course, 501T has also been observed.