EXCLUSIVE: @VanityFair/@ProPublica special report from inside Senate #COVID19 origins investigation. @jeffykao + I got 100s of pages of Senate research findings, 500+ documents from inside Wuhan Institute of Virology, consulted CCP experts: vanityfair.com/news/2022/10/c… 🧵👇 /1
Our 5-month investigation offers most detailed picture of critical months before #COVID19 outbreak: intense scientific pressure at WIV, mounting safety issues, undisclosed documents referencing Nov. 2019 biosafety incident there. Same story, also here: propublica.org/article/senate… /2
.@GOPHELP released its report on COVID origins yesterday: bit.ly/3fh4LpC. Only 35 pgs., it concludes SARS-CoV-2 “more likely than not" came from research incident. The report omitted a 236-page analysis from @StateDept analyst who unearthed explosive WIV docs. /3
Independent experts helped us analyze WIV dispatches + largely agreed: the documents signal an acute safety emergency occurred there in Nov 2019; Chinese gov't officials at highest levels weighed in; urgent action was taken to address ongoing safety issues. /4
Even at WIV's showcase BSL4 lab, which worked w/ world's most dangerous pathogens, scientists lamented problem of “three ‘nos:’ no equipment and technology standards, no design and construction teams, and no experience operating or maintaining [a lab of this caliber].” /5
In Fall 2019, the dispatches took a darker turn. They referenced inhumane working conditions and “hidden dangers.” On Nov. 12 2019, a report by CCP party branch members at the BSL4 laboratory appeared to reference a biosecurity breach. /6 
Toy Reid, @StateDept analyst, focused on: "Every time this has happened, the members of the Zhengdian Lab [BSL4] Party Branch have always run to the frontline." He said: “They are almost saying they know Beijing is about to come down and scream at them.” That happened next. /7
On Nov. 19, 2019, Chinese Academy of Sciences tech safety/security director came to WIV to run a seminar for top research/biosafety officials. The meeting, in a 1.5 pg summary, appears to have been “out of the ordinary and event driven,” Reid said. /8
The official told attendees he came w/ “important oral remarks and written instructions” from General Sec. Xi Jinping + China’s premier Li Keqiang, to address a “complex and grave situation” related to biosafety. The official described thse important instructions as: "pishi" /9
We consulted "pishi" experts/literature. When China’s senior leaders receive written reports on a worrying or important issue, they will write instructions in the margins, known as pishi, to be carried out swiftly by lower-level officials. /10
Reid believes the pishi that day came directly from Xi Jinping. 3 experts on CCP communications reviewed the WIV meeting summary, saying it appeared to be urgent, non-routine, + related to a biosafety emergency. Two agreed it appeared Xi himself had issued the pishi. /11
To be clear, the documents do not make clear who was responsible for the crisis, which laboratory it affected specifically or what the exact nature of the biosafety emergency was. /12
A Chinese Embassy spokesperson dismissed lab-leak allegations and said an int'l @WHO-convened team found: “the allegation of lab leaking is extremely unlikely....From the very beginning, China has taken a scientific, professional, serious and responsible attitude...." /13
Chinese embassy spokesperson, cont: "...in origins tracing....Some American politicians and journalists “distort facts and truth,” he said, adding that the U.S. should “stop using the epidemic for political manipulation." /14
We analyzed more details: warnings re. lax safety; patents/procurements to overhaul ventilation, sterilize air. We found the WIV appears to have republished all institutional news on WIV website on 11/11/19, possibly as after-the-fact effort to reframe events there. /15
We consulted, and are grateful to, experts who helped us analyze and make sense of our findings. To name a few: Toy Reid, Dr. Bob Kadlec, Dr. James LeDuc, @RickABright, Geremie Barmé, Matthew Pottinger, Gabriel Gras, Robert Hawley, @DrGerryParker, @jbloom_lab, Larry Kerr. /16
Endless gratitude to 2 amazing teams that worked long hours. At @VanityFair: @mike_hogan, @radhikajones, Terence Keegan, Brendan Barr, Sara Krolewski. At @ProPublica: @SheInvestigates, @AlexandraZayas, @tracyweber, @SteveEngelberg and best-ever reporting partner @jeffykao /17
Lastly, if you're reading this thread, and have real info on COVID origins, Wuhan Institute of Virology, etc., please DM me for Signal. I don't respond to kooks, conspiracies, political rants, just actual facts, thx. /End
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