Dr. David Morens, former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) director Dr. Anthony Fauci's right-hand man, said he had never considered the possibility that the new coronavirus could have originated in a lab.
Testifying before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic on Thursday, Morens admitted he had not considered any scientific evidence suggesting the coronavirus may have leaked from a lab in Wuhan, China. Brad Wenstrup, chairman of the coronavirus subcommittee, said in the paper. press release. (Related: Dr. Fauci admits social distancing rules 'came' out of nowhere, says coronavirus subcommittee chair)
WASHINGTON, DC – January 8: Dr. Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), speaks during a closed session of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic at the U.S. Capitol on January 8. Arrival in. 2024, Washington DC. Fauci is expected to be asked questions about the origins of the coronavirus, vaccination requirements and how to prevent future pandemics. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
The key takeaway from Morens' interview, according to Wenstrup's release, is that he admitted that “he has not investigated any of the scientific evidence behind potential lab leaks or man-made viruses.” That's what happened.
Despite this, Morens, who is a close friend of EcoHealth Alliance Chairman Peter Daszak, said he remains steadfast in his belief that COVID-19 originated in animals and was transmitted to humans.
EcoHealth Alliance sent a taxpayer-funded grant to the Wuhan Institute of Virology to study coronaviruses in bats, but had previously downplayed the potential risks of such research.
The new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) pandemic originated in Wuhan, China, and its assessment is F.B.I. And the Department of Energy concluded that the virus most likely came from a lab. (Related: CIA whistleblower alleges financial reward given to six analysts who covered up lab leak investigation)
Fauci knew that gain-of-function research was being conducted in the Wuhan lab before the coronavirus pandemic and organized a campaign to discredit the lab leak theory early in the pandemic. It seems like he was.
Fauci testifies before special subcommittee and admits lab leak theory is not a conspiracy theory, Wenstrup says Said In a statement.
“He testified that the lab leak hypothesis, which has often been swept under the rug, was not actually a conspiracy theory. Moreover, the social distancing recommendations forced on Americans “just kind of just popped up.” “And it's likely not based on scientific data,” Wenstrup said.
Mr. Morens is on leave from his position at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the following reasons: private email The document released by the coronavirus subcommittee appears to acknowledge that the company used Gmail instead of government email to avoid public records requests.
He denied deleting material related to the origins of the coronavirus or forwarding records to his Gmail to avoid scrutiny.
