Researchers from UNSW argue that the lab theory on COVID-19 should not be easily brushed aside
Researchers at the UNSW Kirby Institute have determined that there is a higher likelihood of SARS-COV-2 originating unnaturally rather than naturally.
A recent scientific paper suggests that COVID-19 is more likely to have originated from a lab rather than an animal source.
The paper, led by researchers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), was published in the journal Risk Analysis on March 15.
Researchers examined theories about the natural and unnatural origins of SARS-COV-2.
Utilizing a risk analysis tool, scientists studied the origins of SARS-COV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19.
According to the paper, “The mGFT scored 41/60 points (68 percent), with high inter-rater reliability (100 percent), indicating a greater likelihood of an unnatural than natural origin of SARS-CoV-2.”
The study was authored by scientists from the prestigious Kirby Institute at UNSW, including Professor Raina MacIntyre, Xin Chen, and Fatema Kalyar.
Laboratory Origin Cannot Be Dismissed: Researchers
Researchers clarified that the risk assessment cannot definitively prove the origin of SARS-CoV-2, but it indicates that the possibility of a laboratory origin cannot be easily disregarded.
While previous studies had ruled out a lab accident as unlikely, the analysis in this paper suggests that both natural and unnatural origins are equally plausible.
The first cluster of COVID-19 cases was near a renowned coronavirus lab conducting experiments with SARS-like viruses, the paper noted, emphasizing the significance of this proximity.
The researchers pointed out examples of previous lab-origin epidemics, highlighting the need for a systematic approach to estimating the likelihood of either origin.
The researchers acknowledged limitations in their study, including the fact that their risk analysis tool mGFT was initially designed for smaller outbreaks and focused on biowarfare detection.
Despite these limitations, the researchers concluded that an unnatural origin of SARS-COV-2 is plausible, and their application of the mGFT suggests it is equally or more likely than a natural origin.
They emphasized the need for society to take proactive measures to prevent epidemics caused by human error.
