Chat message

Slack / Private Message Drop, p.654 [SLACK_000868] · slack_pm:msg:06846

Date: 2021-03-29 16:22
Type: chat message · slack
recipient: Kristian G. Andersen, Robert F. Garry, Andrew Rambaut
speaker: Edward C. Holmes
Topics: Wuhan Institute of Virology collaboration

Recipients on this medium are inferred from channel membership, not per-message addressing.

Had a long chat with Dominic: (i) he thinks that it could well be raccoon dogs or mink neither of which have been tested and that there was great push back from the Chinese about even investigating this idea. So, these animals have not been tested; (ii) he said that the WIV staff came across as totally open and honest. He said that privately Shi told them she was very worried about a lab escape and they did 2 internal audits and found nothing.

Extracted statements

Rule-extracted, not adjudicated. The grade says what may be done with each one; read the document above before relying on any of them.

Statement	Grade	Attribution	Stance
So, these animals have not been tested; (ii) he said that the WIV staff came across as totally open and honest.	quoted / not their view	paraphrase_third_party third-party reporting verb	asserts

Statement

Grade

Attribution

Stance

So, these animals have not been tested; (ii) he said that the WIV staff came across as totally open and honest.

quoted / not their view

paraphrase_third_party third-party reporting verb

asserts

In context

A single line often inverts meaning once you see what it answers, so neighbouring messages are always shown.

2021-03-29 16:02 Kristian G. Andersen open

He got edited for sure, but one thing that stuck with me - he wasn't over-claiming anything. "Yup, we don't know", "Yup, that's to be done". Doesn't work to convince a lay audience, but it's sticking to what we know and what wedon't.
2021-03-29 16:04 Robert F. Garry open

Stahl had follow-up for each PD question designed to put him off balance and admit stuff he shouldn't have admitted. Surprising with all the media that he's not better at it. The follow-up to JM and MP were shocked looks onher face and gasps.
2021-03-29 16:06 Kristian G. Andersen open

Yup - she clearly drank the Kool-Aid before the interview. Also, 2 lab leak 'theorists' vs 1 scientist. Fair balance?Nope - should have been 0 vs 3.
2021-03-29 16:15 Edward C. Holmes open

Annex D7 is very interesting
2021-03-29 16:22 Edward C. Holmes

Had a long chat with Dominic: (i) he thinks that it could well be raccoon dogs or mink neither of which have been tested and that there was great push back from the Chinese about even investigating this idea. So, these animals have not been tested; (ii) he said that the WIV staff came across as totally open and honest. He said that privately Shi told them she was very worried about a lab escape and they did 2 internal audits and found nothing.
2021-03-29 16:22 Kristian G. Andersen open

This? [shared file(s): Screen Shot 2021-03-29 at 4.22.14 PM.png]
2021-03-29 16:23 Kristian G. Andersen open

"Shi told them she was very worried about a lab escape and they did 2 internal audits and found nothing". This bit bothers me - and I mentioned this back when she made a similar comment to SciAm. It clearly shows she found it a likely explanation.
2021-03-29 16:24 Kristian G. Andersen open

... but they again, she _would_ need to consider it a possibility - we did.
2021-03-29 16:25 Edward C. Holmes open

As did we Kristian. I think I would be more bothered if she had not considered the possibility. To me, she comes across as honest.

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