'Don't Rule Out Lab Leak,' Says Chinese Government Scientist Involved In Covid-19 Response; Confirms CCP Investigation

In an interview with the BBC, Professor George Gao, the former head of China's Centre for Disease Control (CDC) and a key figure in pandemic response and origin tracing, has stated that the possibility of the COVID virus leaking from a laboratory should not be dismissed.

While the Chinese government denies any link between the disease and a Wuhan laboratory, Professor Gao maintains a more open stance, emphasizing that in science, one should not rule out any possibilities.

Prof. Gao, a renowned virologist and immunologist who currently serves as the vice-president of China's National Natural Science Foundation, reveals that some form of formal investigation into the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) did take place, suggesting that the Chinese government may have treated the lab leak theory more seriously than officially stated.

When asked about the nature of the investigation, Prof. Gao confirms that the WIV was double-checked by experts in the field, indicating that another branch of the government conducted a thorough search of the renowned national laboratory known for its extensive research on coronaviruses. According to his sources, the investigation concluded that the WIV had followed all protocols, and no wrongdoing was found.

This marks the first acknowledgment of an official investigation, although Prof. Gao himself has not personally seen the results. He states that he has heard that the WIV received a clean bill of health, suggesting that the laboratory's operations were deemed compliant with safety protocols.