Former CDC Director Robert Redfield told Congress that it’s more likely the COVID pandemic was the result of an accidental lab leak than a natural spillover. The testimony came during a hearing on the pandemic’s origins.
“This conclusion is based primarily on the biology of the virus itself. Including the rapid, high infectivity for human to human transmission,” Redfield said.
Redfield explained that he doesn’t believe it is scientifically plausible that COVID went from a bat to humans and became so infectious so quickly.
“All viruses are not the same. So when you look at coronaviruses for SARS and MERS, for example, when they entered the human species, which they did through an intermediate, they never learned how to go human to human. Even to this day they don’t know how to go human to human,” Redfield told the committee.
Redfield also said U.S. taxpayer dollars funded “gain of function” research being conducted in the Wuhan lab, that ultimately led to the leak.
“I think there’s no doubt that NIH was funding gain of function research,” Redfield said.
“Is it likely that American tax dollars funded the gain of function research that created this virus,” Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., asked.
“I think it did not only from NIH but from the State Department, USAID and DOD,” Redfield answered.
Gain of function research is conducted by scientists to increase a pathogen’s transmissibility, in order to better understand it and develop treatments and vaccines. It’s a controversial practice, and Redfield called for a moratorium.
