Slack / Private Message Drop — page 626

[2021-03-24 04:54:32] [Andrew Rambaut] Makes me think that 'lineage A' was a different market (possibly A.1 - i.e., WA1 too). [2021-03-24 04:55:11] [Robert Garry] YES! :100: [2021-03-24 04:57:54] [Robert Garry] The lineage A and B is a big clue - argues against lab leak - otherwise the nefarious Shi and her henchmen seeded not one but 2 markets with two lineages to cover their tracks? [2021-03-24 05:07:46] [Andrew Rambaut] Although they would argue that B in the market evolved from A and thus proves that the market was not the origin [2021-03-24 05:08:02] [Andrew Rambaut] I.e., that WA1 was the actual lab escape [2021-03-24 05:08:05] [Robert Garry] This is really SC1 all over again. Hard to find SC1 in the wild but occasionally you find clusters in animals brought to market. 95% bat viruses {are there closer ones?] found but SC2 only are found in civets, raccoon dogs and occasional badgers. These are animals brought to MARKET-what you do you find are clusters of infected animals. Such a SC2 cluster could have seeded the C19 pandemic - traders brought a group of animals to Wuhan - during transport SC2 lineage A spread - may have picked up the lineage B mutations. Lineage A animal sent to nonHuanan Market; Lineae B animal sent to Huanan market. [2021-03-24 05:09:32] [Robert Garry] "WA1 was the actual lab escape" This is the crux of it! [2021-03-24 05:10:32] [Andrew Rambaut] That's what I would argue if I was wearing a tin foil hat. It is 3 SNPs closer to RaTG13 [2021-03-24 05:10:46] [Andrew Rambaut] Cause that matters [2021-03-24 05:11:53] [Robert Garry] You would have to argue that WA1 escaped from the lab - lit a mini-burst wherein it picked up the 3 lineage B mutations then by incredible coincidence landed in the Huanan market animal stalls where it really took off. [2021-03-24 05:14:29] [Robert Garry] Agree that WA1 is very important! [2021-03-24 05:27:03] [Robert Garry] IIRC there is published epi info that at least some of the lineage A cases frequented wet markets. [2021-03-24 05:43:48]