I don’t disagree with the overall points you are making but Swine flu did not originate in Chinese markets. It apparently originated in central Mexico.
Moreover new viruses will increasingly run rampage the more natural habitats are destroyed.
Yes I agree the Chinese government needs to put a stop to these markets. But we in the West also have a responsibility to change how we manage our food production. Not least by stopping the dangerous widespread use of antibiotics and changing our eating habits so we do not destroy vast tracts of land.
The us and them ideology is not a productive one as everyone needs to take responsibility.
Anna, I think you have to point the finger to where it happened, where it started. In this case “pointing the finger” isn’t playing the blame game it is identifying the source. Building on Jane’s comment, perhaps if we had “pointed the finger” more vigorously on previous occasions we wouldn’t be in the poo now.
IMO this is not the time for avoiding “difficult” facts nor for exploiting them. That’s why Trump using a fact for populist, political purposes should be reviled, but Xi Jinping taking umbrage is equally stupid.
Yes but point the finger at the causes, not at the place.
If we point at China, for instance, and say China needs to sort out this problem, then we’re potentially ignoring other countries that maybe have similar practices. So China gets itself squeaky clean but the same thing happens somewhere else.
We need to point the finger not to put the blame the place where it happened this time, but to put the blame on the practices and failings that need to be remedied and we need to apply this globally…
Lets throw a different angle into this. A virus was developed by a warmongering laboratory, to specifically attack the respiratory system. It got out either on purpose or mistake, and the effect was devastating. But if it originated in 1 country, how come it developed in such a rapid rate in EU countries almost simultaneously. Was it by chance or was it planted. !!
“Although the evidence shows that SARS-CoV-2 is not a purposefully manipulated virus, it is currently impossible to prove or disprove the other theories of its origin described here.” (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0820-9#Sec4)
Complicated, and very technical publication; you’ve quoted a sentence out of context, but having read it, seems would appear to support my comments…
China’s wet markets have put the health of the whole world at risk; china’s so-called human rights record is appalling - and if there is any good to come from this then international authorities have got to step up. Companies need to re-think their use of china - and we need to stop buying ‘stuff’ from china.
The animals being slaughtered for the chinese mumbo-jumbo ‘medicinal’ purposes, being hunted to the edge of extinction, might be glad of a ban as well.
The whole world needs to do some in-depth analysis of their reliance on china - and we need to do the same.
“you’ve quoted a sentence out of context,” That is why I provided the link. “it is currently impossible to prove or disprove the other theories of its origin described here.””
The article repeatedly makes the point that synthetic origin is improbable given that the AA sequences of the RBD and polybasic cleavage site do not match/correspond to what would have been predicted using modelling (and therefore genetic manipulation - however, that might depend on the tools used for modelling and prediction), and much more probable is one or another form of zoonotic transfer, whether it be from animal to human, or human-to-human.
Dread to think about the future regard that the UK will have for China if Prince Charles passes Covid-19 on to his mum and dad… Two state funerals and no trade deal eh?
I don’t consider myself particularly woke. In the present climate, I just don’t see in what way it’s helpful to insist on calling it a Chinese virus, unless you’re Trump. What’s your point? How does this help… anything?