--- type: Conversation title: Private channel session 1362 description: "slack conversation, 29 messages, 2021-05-12." tags: - conversation - slack medium: slack message_count: 29 started_at: "2021-05-12T10:27:07" ended_at: "2021-05-12T15:04:24" duration_seconds: 16637 sources: - { id: slack_pm, resource: /sources/slack-pm.md, title: Slack / Private Message Drop, author: "process:senate-hsgac-release" } generated: { by: randpaul-corpus-pipeline/1.0, at: "2026-08-01T12:42:27Z" } status: stable --- A slack conversation of 29 messages spanning 4h 37m. # Metadata - **Started:** 2021-05-12T10:27:07 - **Ended:** 2021-05-12T15:04:24 - **Duration:** 4h 37m - **Participants:** 4 - **Source:** [slack_pm](/sources/slack-pm.md) - **Pages:** 785-789 # Participants * [Andrew Rambaut](/people/andrew-rambaut.md) * [Edward C. Holmes](/people/edward-c-holmes.md) * [Kristian G. Andersen](/people/kristian-g-andersen.md) * [Robert F. Garry](/people/robert-f-garry.md) # Transcript **[2021-05-12T10:27:07] Kristian G. Andersen:** Early draft that'll likely change - but lemme know suggested edits / ideas. Dear Mike, Thanks for the heads up - much appreciated. We are well aware of the upcoming letter and I was somewhat amused to see that one of your signatories include a person who vehemently attacked me when I suggested we needed to take a potential lab leak seriously back in February, 2020 - the reason why the _"Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases and 21st Century Health Threats"_ that David and I sit on was established. Unlike what is claimed in your letter, we have of course learned a lot since the beginning of the pandemic and noevidence has been uncovered to support any connection to the lab -… **[2021-05-12T11:11:40] Robert F. Garry:** This is great Kristian - hits both Eddies point: Se "completely misrepresents the remit and outcomes of the WHO report and presents a hopelessly naive plan of the next steps" and Andrew's point about the conspiracy and cover-up. **[2021-05-12T11:37:50] Kristian G. Andersen:** @Andrew Rambaut - any comments on this draft? You know Mike better and it's pretty harsh(ish). I don't mind pissing up David and Jesse, but I do care about Mike and have a very hard time believing he's signing this for the same reasons Jesse (conspiracy) and David (GOF) are. **[2021-05-12T12:34:16] Robert F. Garry:** A few journos have contacted me too and I was maybe a bit more harsh. Love the bit on "Barrett." RelBloom is actually seriously crap [for all the reasons you mention] and those that signed it should as Eddie said be ashamed. **[2021-05-12T13:25:37] Kristian G. Andersen:** A few additional edits - I'll email it in a couple of hours. I have a call with Marc S in 35 mins that Mike is supposed tobe on - we'll see... After sending this, I'll email him separately to engage him at a personal level. ```Dear Mike, Thanks for the heads up - much appreciated. We are aware of the upcoming letter and I was amused to see that one of your signatories is a person who vehemently attacked me when I suggested we needed to take a potential lab leak seriously back in February, 2020 - the reason why the "Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases and 21st Century Health Threats" that David and I sit on was established. Since then, we have of course learned a lot and… **[2021-05-12T13:57:49] Edward C. Holmes:** The Science letter will surely feed this https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/going-viral-how-a-book-on-amazon-inspired-the-latest-covid-conspiracy-202105 12-p57r6e.html **[2021-05-12T14:06:51] Robert F. Garry:** Good reporting - I hope to see more like this as RelBloomshit hits the newscycle. **[2021-05-12T14:18:24] Edward C. Holmes:** Well - confidentially - no CoV yet but these pangos sure carry a lot of viruses: [shared file(s): tree_v8_rename.pdf] **[2021-05-12T14:20:06] Kristian G. Andersen:** Fake. **[2021-05-12T14:22:28] Edward C. Holmes:** Yes, the shanbavirus was my idea. Nice touch I thought. **[2021-05-12T14:25:21] Robert F. Garry:** Some of the pango RSV look a lot like human RSV - did we get it from them or did we give it to them? **[2021-05-12T14:28:18] Andrew Rambaut:** Looks good @Kristian Andersen - only comment would be to say 'despite what is asserted in your letter' (rather than'alleged') and possibly 'co-signatories' in the second sentence. **[2021-05-12T14:38:36] Edward C. Holmes:** The scale bar on that tree is deceptive but I will ask. **[2021-05-12T14:55:37] Kristian G. Andersen:** This is funny - replace Peter and I with the likes of Jamie himself... [shared file(s): Screen Shot 2021-05-12 at14.54.36.png] **[2021-05-12T15:02:46] Edward C. Holmes:** WTF is he talking about? **[2021-05-12T15:04:24] Edward C. Holmes:** @Robert Garry Just say your Virological post. Great idea to get your retaliation in first! Sorry that I did not have achance to comment before it went it. I'll check about those two RSV sequences. Either way, it highlights the risk ofthe wildlife trade. SLACK_001002 **[2021-05-12T15:04:24] Robert F. Garry:** I'll try to interpret (not telling where I learned to speak "cray-cray") It's probably PO1 and The Lancet letter he's talking about. **[2021-05-12T15:04:24] Robert F. Garry:** Yeah - spoke with @Kristian Andersen adhe told me could be off-loaded from virological if too "hot" - got some other stuffis going to have to have some back surgery not trivial but hopefully going to fix some rather serious pain issues she's been having] going on and wanted to get it out. **[2021-05-12T15:04:24] Robert F. Garry:** Oh - and Billy is helping direct traffic to virological - so all good.... **[2021-05-12T15:04:24] Edward C. Holmes:** I look forward to reading it shortly. Sorry to hear about your wife Bob - hope she is doing ok. **[2021-05-12T15:04:24] Robert F. Garry:** Thanks - She'll do much better after they take out the very likely nonmalignant mass near the end of her spinal cord.Should stop the pain and prognosis for full recovery is "excellent." It's a long recovery though. **[2021-05-12T15:04:24] Edward C. Holmes:** Backs are always the worst. Just read your post - the two markets point is absolutely killer. What are the odds? **[2021-05-12T15:04:24] Kristian G. Andersen:** Agreed - great post Bob and the figures are ace! I hope is better - backs are the worst. **[2021-05-12T15:04:24] Kristian G. Andersen:** In other news - I Will Not Be Silenced! https://townhall.com/columnists/anncoulter/2021/05/1 2/i-will-not-be-scienced-n2589343 **[2021-05-12T15:04:24] Edward C. Holmes:** Definitely a badge of honour name check in that one. **[2021-05-12T15:04:24] Kristian G. Andersen:** Wait, Billy asked a good question? [shared file(s): Screen Shot 2021-05-12 at 4.16.00 PM.png] **[2021-05-12T15:04:24] Kristian G. Andersen:** (and the paper eDim points to isn't GOF - he's been running around in circles all day) **[2021-05-12T15:04:24] Edward C. Holmes:** Dim and dimmer. **[2021-05-12T15:04:24] Kristian G. Andersen:** Time to just flip the switch and turn it off.