cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/61748028
Just a reminder that one of the biggest promoters of the lab leak theory is Trump's former CDC director Robert Redfield.
The accusation the virus originally escaped from a Chinese lab, while a possibility, has never been conclusively proven, and may have arisen in retaliation after the Chinese government circulated a video of Redfield as propaganda during the earliest months of the pandemic, in order to claim the U.S. was actually responsible for COVID.
Last June, Reuters released an investigative report which revealed the U.S. military had actually retaliated against the Chinese government's accusations by running a secret anti-vax campaign attempting to undermine China during the pandemic.
Tensions have since arisen regarding accusations against the NIH's involvement in "dangerous" gain-of-function research at a Wuhan lab, and testimony provided by Anthony Fauci.
I am working on a 3 part series covering this information, and how it relates to recent issues surrounding the creation of an updated bird flu vaccine. The first part covers common misunderstandings related to the NIH and Gain of Function research in detail.
I am still working on the two follow ups which will cover the lab leak theory and vaccine roll out, but have not had much time to get back into writing them. I hope to have time soon. I feel it's important to keep people informed ahead of the administration's attempts to spread new propaganda, because this all seems to be part of an elaborate public campaign that has been in the making for quite some time.
Please also keep in mind that Redfield actually wrote a public health commentary attacking "dangerous" gain-of-function research back in February, and praising Trump's planned EO to halt Gain of Function research, which was one of Trump's first announcements upon taking office. Redfield's commentary was published on the Heritage Foundation's website.
According to an article released today by a right wing White House press member, Trump's EO is nearing completion.