President Biden is calling for the U.S. intelligence community to “redouble their efforts” to gather and assess information that could lead to a definitive conclusion on the origins of COVID-19.
In a statement shared Wednesday, Biden noted that he received a report on the origins of COVID-19 earlier this month, adding that he has since requested a follow-up. The U.S. intelligence community, per Biden, has proposed two “likely” scenarios but hasn’t yet reached a conclusion.
Included in the initial report was analysis on whether COVID-19 emerged from human contact with an infected animal or from a lab accident. Currently, according to the White House, the U.S. intelligence community does not believe there is “sufficient information” to accurately determine whether one of those scenarios was more likely.
“I have now asked the Intelligence Community to redouble their efforts to collect and analyze information that could bring us closer to a definitive conclusion, and to report back to me in 90 days,” Biden said. “As part of that report, I have asked for areas of further inquiry that may be required, including specific questions for China. I have also asked that this effort include work by our National Labs and other agencies of our government to augment the Intelligence Community’s efforts. And I have asked the Intelligence Community to keep Congress fully apprised of its work.”
Biden also pointed out on Wednesday that he had urged the CDC to gain access to China to gather information on the virus in early 2020.
“The failure to get our inspectors on the ground in those early months will always hamper any investigation into the origin of COVID-19,” he said.
Earlier this week, the White House announced that half of all American adults were now fully vaccinated. Of course, 50 percent of the U.S. now being fully vaccinated is an example of good news that could be much better. If you haven’t already done so, get a damn vaccine.
