Ralph Baric: "Historically, the Chinese have done a lot of their bat coronavirus research under BSL-2 conditions..[L]ab-acquired infections occur much more frequently at BSL-2. There is also much less oversight at BSL-2."
technologyreview.com/2021/07/26/103…
technologyreview.com/2021/07/26/103…
"[A] laboratory infection could have occurred under BSL-2 operating conditions. Some unknown viruses pooled from guano or oral swabs might replicate or recombine with others, so you could get new strains with unique and unpredictable biological features."
"[I]f all this research is being performed at BSL-2, then there are questions that need to be addressed. What are the standard operating procedures in the BSL-2? What are the training records of the staff? What is the history of potential exposure events in the lab...."
"....and how were they reviewed and resolved? What are the biosafety procedures designed to prevent potential exposure events?"
"Respiratory infections occur frequently. No one is exempt. What are the biosafety procedures used to deal with these..? Do they quarantine workers who develop fevers? Do they continue to work in the lab or are they quarantined at home..? What procedures are in place..?"
"This is serious stuff. Global standards need to exist, especially for understudied emerging viruses. If you study hundreds of different bat viruses at BSL-2, your luck may eventually run out."
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