Thread by @KatherineEban

NEW: My latest @VanityFair special report tells the inside story of a skirmish over early #SARSCoV2 data from Wuhan market bet. 2 leading scientific teams: China & international. China's former CDC director George Gao spoke extensively w/ vanityfair.com/news/2023/06/r… /1

@VanityFair, sharing some of most extended remarks to a Western media outlet since the pandemic’s onset. He says #COVID19's origin remains unknown and no possibility, including lab leak, can be ruled out: “I think everything's possible." /2

Gao says the fraught origins-debate politics are thwarting answers: “Once the scientists can do free science, we might get the answer. But now, everything is politicized.” I interviewed 50 people for this story, and obtained numerous new emails, texts + other records. /3

Gao says he told @MichaelWorobey + @edwardcholmes on phone calls, “‘My analysis w/ my colleagues has no evidence it’s raccoon dogs’... They didn't believe me." Worobey says Gao’s claim “doesn’t match our phone call at all” and Gao would not collaborate. /4

On May 5, @WHO SAGO convened a meeting to referee the different analyses between Gao's team, a team co-led by @MichaelWorobey and @jbloom_lab, @VanityFair is first reporting. "The foundation of science is collaboration," @mvankerkhove says. /5

I am grateful for the input of many scientists + other experts inc. George Gao, @MichaelWorobey, @acritschristoph, @jbloom_lab @sergeilkp @AliceCHughes @mvankerkhove @GISAID @LawrenceGostin @DrRHatchett @DrGerryParker @flodebarre @ThomasCueni and numerous others. /6

A talented @VanityFair team devoted many hours/much effort to this story. Grateful to my ace editor @mike_hogan, the peerless @radhikajones, our legal eagle @KeeganTerence + Dale Brauner for her scrupulous fact check. And special thx to @Katherineli_ for her addt'l reporting.