Coronavirus Watch: Why COVID origin theories are back in the news
Theories behind what started the COVID-19 pandemic have continued to dominate headlines this week.
Today, a House panel held its first public hearing on the subject, where experts said the U.S. should continue investigating the theory that a Chinese lab unintentionally released the COVID-19 infection.
The theory got a boost last week after the Department of Energy reportedly concluded (with "low confidence") that a lab leak was most likely to blame.
However, there is no consensus across the government on the pandemic's origins. Neither the lab-leak theory nor the competing one that COVID jumped from animals to humans at a Chinese market have had enough evidence so far to be conclusive.
Read more about what experts said at today's hearing from reporter Trevor Hughes here.
This is the Coronavirus Watch from the Paste BN Network. Here's what we're reading this week:
- The Biden administration is expected to roll back its requirement that people traveling from China present a negative COVID test when entering the U.S., according to multiple media reports. The requirement went into effect in January as China experienced major outbreaks.
- Where does COVID spread the most? Researchers examined transmission rates in several social settings, including nightlife, dining, workplace, household and health care. Using data from Tokyo in 2020, they concluded that nightlife settings like bars and clubs were associated with a higher likelihood of spreading COVID than in households or health care situations.
- A quarter of U.S. parents misled others about their child's COVID status or did not follow public health measures, like reporting symptoms or quarantining, according to a survey. The most common reason cited was personal freedom as a parent, while others cited a desire for their child to resume normal life or an inability to miss work or other responsibilities.
Thanks for reading!
– Rachel Aretakis, health editor