Chinese Scientists' Experiments Similar to Those That Could Have Sparked Covid-19

SOURCE www.telegraph.co.uk
Chinese scientists are planning experiments similar to those that could have sparked the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to concerns about biosafety levels and the potential for a new virus to evolve in the lab. The experiments involve studying bat coronaviruses that can enter human cells and testing their infectivity in humanized mice.

Key Points

  • Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) published research on a bat coronavirus that can enter human cells
  • Calls for further investigation into strains with more infectious spike proteins and testing in human transgenic mice
  • Concerns raised about biosafety levels and similarity to experiments that may have sparked the Covid-19 pandemic

Cons

  • Experiments are being carried out below recommended biosafety levels
  • Potential for a new virus to evolve in the lab
  • Concerns about the safety of testing risky viruses in a city centre