By Maggie Koerth, Five Thirty Eight
The Department of Energy says COVID-19 was caused by a lab leak. But that doesn’t mean COVID-19 was definitely caused by a lab leak. In fact, the agency’s report, which made headlines last week, states it has “low confidence” in its own conclusion. Scientific evidence, on the other hand, has overwhelmingly pointed toward a natural spillover from animals to humans — the same origin of nearly every other outbreak in history and a growing threat.
What this DOE report does prove is that COVID-19’s origins have become extremely politicized. With congressional hearings, a federal advisory board and government reports pitting the conclusions of the U.S. intelligence community against the conclusions of scientists, it raises the question – if a lab leak were the true origin of COVID-19, would it change how we prepare for pandemics? Clearly, a sizable portion of the American political system is engaged with the idea that proving COVID-19 began with a lab leak matters. But why does it matter? Is it motivated by the political goal of assigning blame or the public health goal of planning for the future?
