WHO research team arrives in China to study origins of COVID-19
Chinese patrons, all wearing masks, use hand sanitizer stations in a public area. China has been exceptionally effective in managing the spread of COVID-19, despite being the nation in which the virus is presumed to have originated. Source.
A global team of researchers from the World Health Organization arrived in China last Thursday to conduct a study of COVID-19’s origins. The group includes fifteen virus experts and researchers from the United States, Australia, Germany, Japan, Britain, Russia, the Netherlands, Qatar and Vietnam.
The investigations have been approved by President Xi Jinping’s government, which has been strictly controlling all research concerning COVID-19 and its emergence within China: these actions have prompted criticism—with some stating that this secrecy hampered early testing and delayed new breakthroughs.
It is unlikely that this first investigation will confirm how COVID-19 began—that typically takes years of research—but there are some possibilities. One is that COVID-19 was carried by bats and transmitted to humans through an intermediary species sold as food or medicine in traditional Chinese markets. A zoologist on the WHO’s team also hypothesized that a wildlife poacher might have passed the virus to traders, who then carried it to Wuhan.
Meanwhile, the Chinese government has spread conspiracy theories suggesting that COVID-19 started from tainted imported seafood. This claim has been debunked by international scientists. One possible reason for this propaganda could be to minimize embarrassment for the Chinese government, which has taken offense to criticism that it allowed the disease to spread.
There have been no updates regarding possible penalties for China, or actions the WHO has taken to deal with China’s late announcement of the first COVID-19 outbreak. The falsehoods and obstructions perpetuated by China played an important role in the delayed global response to the pandemic. The WHO has no enforcement powers, but they could still openly condemn China for its actions and help shame them into complying with international norms for public health.
Allowing this team of researchers into the country signals an increase of Chinese cooperation with global authorities, but it is unclear whether this will lead to more transparency from the Chinese government. These investigations within China will play a key role in understanding the pandemic and what measures are needed to prevent future outbreaks.
Chinese obfuscation of data and information are no longer just a problem for China’s domestic citizens and international rivals, but virtually every country on the world stage. The interconnected global economy means that stopping subsequent pandemics after COVID-19 is an imperative for everyone—the over 2 million worldwide deaths from COVID-19 and over 95 million COVID-19 cases is ample evidence of that.
The real test of China’s compliance with international standards will be if this initial investigation by the WHO proceeds without further disruption from the Chinese government—and for the sake of the world, hopefully it continues without interference.