China News Service: Scientists who refuse to suppress unreasonably and trace the source of the epidemic need to regain their "microphone"

　　China News Service, September 19, title: Scientists who refuse to suppress unreasonably and trace the source of the epidemic need to pick up the "microphone" again

　　Author: Zhiyi

　　Some politicians in the United States are eyeing Anthony Fauci again, trying to pressure him on the origin of the new crown virus.

　　A report in the New York Post on September 14 local time pointed out that Republicans in the House of People led by Texas Rep. Chip Roy called on Speaker Nancy Pelosi to instruct the Judiciary Committee to summon Several public health officials, including Dr. Fauci, to get answers about the origin of the coronavirus.

　　As the chief medical adviser of the White House and the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Fauci has become a key link in the chain of attacks because he has never been able to support the "Wuhan laboratory leak theory". The politician claimed that as the director of NIAID, he supported the non-profit organization EcoHealth Alliance. After receiving funding, the organization “invested US taxpayers’ money in the Wuhan Institute of Virology for functional gain research. This may be related to the origin of the new coronavirus."

　　Such assumptions that ignore scientific facts and inferences that impose political factors are far from the facts.

Peter Dazzak, president of the Eco-Health Alliance, has made it clear in many interviews with the media that he has indeed cooperated with the Wuhan Institute of Virology for 15 years and has jointly studied hundreds of viruses from bats and made various classifications. .

But when referring to the issue of virus traceability, he always stated that there is no evidence that the virus came from a laboratory in China.

　　It is not the first time for Fauci to face such "unnecessary" slander.

In July of this year, he was declared by the Republican Senate Rand Paul as "liing to Congress" because of his insistence that "relevant research of the Wuhan Institute of Virology is not a virus," and he was also threatened to pursue criminal responsibility.

　　In the international arena, there has been a "reverse trend" in which virus traceability and epidemic prevention measures serve political interests. However, Fauci is only one of such a group of scientists who have spoken out on the basis of data and facts but have been unreasonably suppressed. one.

　　Susan Weiss, a virology expert at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in the United States, published a commentary on the Internet, calling for the end of conspiracy theories, and stressing that most scientists believe that the new coronavirus originated in nature, and "the laboratory leak hypothesis has no evidence."

　　She emphasized that around the origin of the virus, any rumors, unsubstantiated claims, and personal attacks on scientists are unacceptable. They are causing public confusion and may damage the public’s trust in science and scientists, including those still Scientists leading the response to the epidemic.

　　Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, clearly opposed the argument that "scientists in Wuhan leaked the virus from wild bats" on his Twitter, and explained to netizens that a cotton swab was in The bat’s mouth or anus was brushed, and the amount of virus contained was very small, and these cotton swabs were frozen in vials in the refrigerator. They were not easily taken out and leaked as in the disaster movie.

　　But Rasmussen’s patience in science exchange resulted in harassment, abuse and personal threats, so that Rasmussen was angrily forced to report to the police.

　　Australian virologist Daniel Anderson has worked in Wuhan. She said in a report by Bloomberg in June this year that there is no evidence that Wuhan Institute of Virology is conducting a "viral function enhancement experiment", which is a high level of safety standards and regulations. The operation is impressive.

Anderson was also targeted by extremists for criticizing the fallacy about the epidemic on the Internet, and he eventually asked the police for help.

　　With such a set of data, everyone who unites to fight the epidemic and fights the epidemic scientifically feels helpless and powerless.

According to the analysis of the "Caesars Health News" and the Associated Press, since the outbreak of the new crown epidemic, at least 303 public health officials in the United States have retired, resigned or were fired.

In other words, during the epidemic, one in five Americans lost their local health officials.

　　What is even more incredible is that since the beginning of the epidemic, lawmakers from all states in the United States have proposed bills to reduce the powers of public health officials.

　　In its report on Anderson, Bloomberg pointed out that in the past 18 months, many scientists studying the new crown have experienced threats that have made them hesitate to speak out and worry that their words will be misinterpreted.

　　Let professional people do professional things. Social division of labor has promoted human progress. In the face of the global common enemy of the new crown virus, scientists who need to pick up their "microphones" again to give a truly authoritative voice for tracing the source and fighting the epidemic.

(over)