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1. 2021-04-11 09:41 Robert F. Garry open
   https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/meet-the-press/blinken-china-s-early-failure-covid-cooperation-helped-speed-pandemic-n1263749 Some progress with messaging about origins at DoS and separating the origin question from China's early lack of transparency and future course.
2. 2021-04-11 09:45 Robert F. Garry open
   @Kristian Andersen Pretty sure we called that here - one reason the mRNA vaccines work is because they use a stabilized construct. Growing virus and then inactivating it basically destroys many of the key epitopes. This issettled science.
3. 2021-04-11 09:56 Robert F. Garry open
   More false dichotomies from Ridley and Alina""There is still no sign of an original animal source of SARS-CoV-2 inWuhan, or the rest of Hubei province. Horseshoe bats that live in the area have been extensively sampled for viruses for years without SARS-CoV-2-like viruses showing up. Therefore, the strongest connection between such viruses in Yunnan and the human outbreak in Wuhan is the WIV, and the fact that it had collected SARS-like viruses from the Mojiang mine."https://archive.is/C95s2#selection-1379.340-1379.766 They really are idiots...
4. 2021-04-11 10:39 Kristian G. Andersen
   "They really are idiots" - honestly, I think that's exactly right. To them, the fact that we haven't found a positive bat (orwhatever) yet is somehow a mystery - anybody with _any_ level of experience in the field would know better. But they don't have any experience....
5. 2021-04-11 10:44 Kristian G. Andersen open
   Fromt that NBC article - I cringe when I see this said by anybody from this country. I mean, introspection, maybe? It's embarrassing (not that I disagree - only, this coming from the US is hypocritical to the highest degree). [shared file(s): Screen Shot 2021-04-11 at 10.41.50 AM.png]
6. 2021-04-11 10:57 Robert F. Garry open
   Agreed - if the pandemic had started in say Montana - near the Rocky Mountain Lab - do you think that the US would have allowed anything beyond a "tour and discussion." Nevertheless, this transparency question is importantto recognize for what it is. It's also where Tedros - I think - was coming from when he also "criticized" the report. It's all about precedence, which is also what makes the Jamie/Alina meme of shutting down virologists so dangerous. The eDims and Filippas of the world are going to use this to achieve their goal of shutting down GoF research which they will define as any genetic manipulation of a virus.

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