What the US owes the world for Covid-19

By Jeffrey Sachs, Common Dreams – The hypothesis that a US-funded laboratory originated Covid-19 potentially represents the most significant governmental negligence in history. The right of people worldwide to transparency and fact-based answers on crucial issues is indisputable. The US government (USG), by funding and supporting a laboratory research program, may have inadvertently contributed to the creation and release of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the Covid-19 pandemic. Subsequently, the USG was accused of attempting to cover up its possible involvement. As a result, the US government is under pressure to correct the misinformation, uncover the truth, and reconcile with the rest of the world.

The tireless investigation by journalists, scientists, and whistleblowers has revealed substantial information suggesting the possible laboratory origin of SARS-CoV-2. The courageous work of The Intercept and US Right to Know (USRTK), especially investigative journalist Emily Kopp at USRTK, stands out.

The Republican-led Accountability and Oversight Committee is conducting a crucial investigation in a Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic. In the Senate, Republican Senator Rand Paul has emerged as a leading voice in the pursuit of transparency, honesty, and reason in the investigation into the origin of SARS-CoV-2.

Evidence pointing to a possible laboratory origin centers on a multi-year research program conducted by the U.S., with collaboration between American and Chinese scientists. Primarily funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Defense, the program was administered by the EcoHealth Alliance (EHA), with activities carried out at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) in China.

The facts known so far include:

• Since 2001, the NIH has expanded its research to include biodefense, becoming an extension of the military and intelligence communities. Part of the Department of Defense's biodefense funding has been allocated to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), led by Dr. Anthony Fauci.
• The NIAID and DARPA (within the Department of Defense) supported extensive research on potential pathogens for biological warfare and biodefense, including the manipulation and testing of viruses in bats.
• The NIAID has become a major funder of gain-of-function (GoF) research, which aims to genetically modify pathogens to make them more pathogenic.
• Following the observation of the initial outbreak in Wuhan, virologists associated with the NIH expressed concerns about the possible laboratory origin of SARS-CoV-2.
• NIH officials attempted to conceal NIH-funded GoF research and promoted the idea of ​​a natural origin for the virus.
• Some sources point to the WIV as the source of the laboratory leak, while concealing NIH funding and the EHA-led research program.

The evidence indicates the need for an independent investigation encompassing all laboratories involved in the EHA research program in the US and China. Furthermore, there is an urgent need to suspend GoF research globally until biosafety rules are established by an independent scientific body. The UN General Assembly should establish strict legal and financial accountability for governments that violate international safety standards through hazardous research activities.

It is imperative that the U.S. acknowledge its responsibility to the world by providing full transparency and possibly financial compensation, depending on the results of the investigation. Ultimately, what is at stake is the safety and health of all humanity.