The opening line:
"To prevent future pandemics, it is important that we understand whether SARS-CoV-2 spilled over directly from animals to people, or indirectly in a laboratory accident."
Is that true? I mean I understand why people would be curious, but does it really matter, in terms of what we need to do? We know that viruses _can_ spillover from animals to people, and we know that viruses in a laboratory setting _could_ plausibly get released in an accident. In terms of what we need to do to prevent (as far as possible) it happening in the future, I don't know that I believe that the answer to which one happened in the case of covid-19, is all that important.
Again, I see why people would care. But as long as we know that both are realistic possibilities (and we do), it doesn't matter moving forward.
Is that true? I mean I understand why people would be curious, but does it really matter, in terms of what we need to do? We know that viruses _can_ spillover from animals to people, and we know that viruses in a laboratory setting _could_ plausibly get released in an accident. In terms of what we need to do to prevent (as far as possible) it happening in the future, I don't know that I believe that the answer to which one happened in the case of covid-19, is all that important.
Again, I see why people would care. But as long as we know that both are realistic possibilities (and we do), it doesn't matter moving forward.