I'm hesitant to say this is definitive because the Chinese state have been anything but transparent about Wuhan and the research centre close by that many believe was the epicentre of the outbreak.

Disclosure: I never beileved the conspiracy theories that China was the source, instead i wanted to try and keep an open mind... but now it appears that China may indeed have been the source.

The basis for my thinking now are:-

US Senate, lab origin most likely:
https://youtu.be/EaJt5jC5gbY

And an article that i long ago forgot about that was reported in the UK Financial Times:
Italian blood samples revive debate over first signs of Covid in Europe
New research suggests coronavirus could have been in Italy in October 2019 but is not conclusive
https://www.ft.com/content/505fe8c4-ef70-4ab0-a978-321c9199af4a
Sadly there's a good chance that link will be behind a paywall but the links below have the info, it just means the data below is less clear if you can't access the link above.

The latter was posted as a pre-print on July 19 2021
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.14.21260491v1

...that i've only just found out was peer reviewed and published on 30 Dec 2021
https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/14/1/61/htm

I swear to god you couldn't make up the <enter expletive> about this virus, i will say this though, i have no malice towards anyone of any nationality, governments all over the world have much to explain and the man on the street does not.

I am glad that research is continuing. I'm not ready to make up my mind as to which theory is more plausible. Here in the US, a certain political faction continues to pursue and push the lab leak theory so that they can blame China. I agree that China's lack of transparency has been terrible.

_________________
stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

I don't believe there is any doubt about the origin now, it's simply a case of was it a wet market or a laboritory.

The fact is (for me) i worked at Edinburgh Zoo as a night shift Securty Guard since 2002, not empoyed by the Zoo but as a sub contractor.

Around Oct/Nov 2019 there were people who were contracted by the Chinese State to build and install the Chinese Lantern Festival at the Zoo... it was widely spoken about that an odd cold virus was spreading through employees at the Zoo at that time.

The Chinese workers flew in from Wuhan circa Oct/Nov 2019.
What i don't know is if they came to and from China during that period?

All i know for certain is that 3 GP's conceded that in all likelihood i was infected with Covid-19 before the Scottish Govt recognise to this day that Covid-19 existed in Scotland.

None of the above sits well with me.

I found this shocking to watch, i could barely believe what i was watching and hearing!

The title of the video is imo a little misleading because it's not really about lab leak conspiracy theories, it's about a conspiracy to conceal the truth about the lab leak.

Lab leak conspiracy theory
https://youtu.be/FckD6qL76uA

I somehow doubt this will be the end of it now that a reputable newspaper has blown the lid off it, i suspect and hope governments all over the world are going to have to answer a lot of very difficult questions!

The Telegraph [a UK Broadsheet] where the story broke is behind a paywall but the headline and strapline say it all:
Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/11/23/uk-experts-helped-shut-covid-lab-leak-theory-weeks-told-might/

It leaves only one question, what do the Chinese know that the rest of the world doesn't... they must know something or they wouldn't be the only country in the world persisting with draconian lockdown measures.

Watch, do your own research and make up your own mind.

Viral origins, the stitchup
https://youtu.be/GER-j6mTs0U

cf:
source dated 14th Feb 2023: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00283-y

I'm so angry about this because what happened to me could and should have been prevented.

US Energy department and FBI agree on Lab leak
https://youtu.be/NcFiDpErJHQ

I don't live in the US so have no idea how well this is being covered there, that said, it is worthy of note.

Please also be aware that at the onset of the pandemic i didn't believe a word of any conspiracy theory and until recently i still didn't, this though is pretty compelling.

The FBI report is actually fairly old, though not previously covered much. The intelligence leading to the conclusion is considered "moderate" confidence, meaning that it is plausible, but there isn't enough evidence to prove it. For comparison, the intelligence that said that Iraq had WMDs before the US invaded fell into the moderate confidence level -- and we know how that turned out.
The DOE report is actually odder in that it is classed as "low" confidence, meaning that they have no evidence at all and the conclusion is based on opinion. So, yes, it is certainly possible, but there is really no proof at all.
If only China was more forthcoming in the matter. If it was a lab leak, steps need to be taken to prevent it from ever happening again.
Here's a little video from a journalist that I follow on the topic of the confidence level- https://youtu.be/F8jxjNKvxrI He's an interesting guy who leans very Progressive/Left in his thinking. He does point out how convenient it is that this story is gaining traction now as the US relations with China are ratcheting up in tension...

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stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

A very interesting perspective Steve so thanks for sharing that YT link... don't get me started on dodgy dossiers LOL
Personally i don't care if someone is left, right or upside down, i always listen to all sides and try to make up my own mind... i don't always get it right of course which is the whole point of the internet.. throw your thoughts out there and see what comes back, if you're proven wrong put your hands up, accept it, and move on.
Not saying you've done that yet but it has made me think.

Fyi, the geopolitical slant was already in my mind when i posted but i thought Dr Campbell made a good case, that said i had no idea the so called "confidence levels" only began in 2004, had i known that i wouldn't have posted, so thank you.

I agree that listening to all sides of a topic is the way to go.
Dr Campbell did lay out why he is most confident that the lab leak is the source and it is a compelling case. I'm sure that the same reasoning played a role in the reports that made headlines this week. I'm actually glad that you posted here, so no worries!
Even if we can never be sure of the source, I sure hope that institutions and governments around the world take steps to prevent an accidental release and to be better prepared for future pandemics. Unfortunately, I don't know that we've learned our lessons.

_________________
stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

Lab leak, US senate report

This is very interesting.

My source and links to the US Senate report so you can make up your own mind.

Dr John Campbell video:
Senate full document
https://youtu.be/2XccISIi-yo

US Senate report:
Summary: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23780771-mwg-executive-summary-april-16-2023
Full report: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23780776-mwg-fdr-document-04-16-23

I personally, as did several Doctors back in 2020 after i told them my timeline, suspect this was how i was infected.

I am now 100% convinced this was a lab leak from Wuhan and that i caught Covid-19 from the Chinese workers who came over from Wuhan (China) during winter 2019/20 to work on-site at my workplace in Edinburgh (Scotland) whom i had close contact with.

For the record, the chinese workers were super friendly and they would have been as ignorant as i was to this new virus so i don't hold them responsible... i do however have a huge issue with how this has been handled by Governments (my own and the Chinese) though because they must know have known more/know more than they have told/are telling us.

To this day the official stance from the Scottish and UK Government's is that Covid-19 was NOT in the UK at the time i was infected... despite all the evidence saying it likely was... and in my case, it definitely was.

Whatever the source, there is no question that it was handled terribly by governments all over the world, especially China where it originated, and the US which badly downplayed the seriousness until it was too late. And, of course, the way it became a political issue with one side railing at lockdowns, safety protocols, and eventually the vaccines.

_________________
stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

Originally posted on YouTube by Sky News Australia on July 25th 2023 (the first 50 seconds of the video is just a lead into the article so can be skipped):

Damning new evidence reveals what leading scientists really thought of COVID origins
https://youtu.be/W_2Z8KPDoXw?si=HX5oabOqmFeGaptC

Prior to that on June 14th 2023 Sky News Australia uploaded the following that precedes the one above, it helps give a lot of context and even though it's an hour long in my opinion it's well worth the watch to understand the nuts and bolts of how we are not being told the whole truth of what we all lived through:

Bombshell revelations expose what really happened in Wuhan
https://youtu.be/DGIEURJRouw?si=KDCLHjXwnpTaXaos

Fwiw, with hindsight it's no wonder i was cut off from state aid, i mean if this is what can happen to a former head of MI6 then what chance did i have.
https://youtu.be/DGIEURJRouw?si=n1Cl86arWc4WTSvn&t=2002

Watch until 35:50, as a Brit it's very chilling to hear that from someone with his background.