This Week in Virology

As always a great and entertaining conversation between flexible and informed thinkers. Just listened to the episode with Paul Offit whose book I’m currently reading. Both realistically saddening and hopeful in that there are many people working hard on educating as many as they can reach. Thanks for what you do.

I love the hosts - Banter, insights, picks…I Listen to every episode. I’m able to recognize virology lingo, which makes me feel smart, even if I don’t remember how it all fits together.

I am not a virologist. However, I am very ware of the scientific method. This episode really exposes how NOT to prove your point that SARS COV-2 was not a lab leak. One guest was not prepared or simply had her facts wrong. I heard her mention “bat guano was most likely a low risk.” However, much of the leaked documentation available to anyone who wants to read it states that rectal swabs and serum was taken from bats. Additionally, you had one person admittedly play the devils advocate and bring up several “points the lab leakers use.” He seemed embarrassed to even bring this up. Maybe get some people in your field that can seriously have a debate that really believe what they say. Also, there are emails from some very prominent French virologists going back and forth explaining the concerns with safety and poor compliance with following safety protocols. Also, at one point one guest said that “engineering viruses is extremely difficult.” However, it is well established that Corona viruses have been engineered previously difficult or not. The furin cleavage site has already been added to other viruses and your guests poopooed this fact which is well documented. And furthermore you bring up the most Baird claims from the “lab leakers” including the HIV stuff. This sounds clearly like you bring the most absurd crap to prove that anyone who has other beliefs are homophobes or xenophobic. Also, when you say that “the lab leakers” have no proof. Neither do the esteemed well learn-Ed docs on your show. You people aren’t true scientists as you appear to just throw out concerns and beliefs from many others in your field as crackpots. No debate. No attempt to validate your hypothesis. Dr. Daszac clearly was concerned about losing funding and strong armed many of your colleagues to disavow the idea that this virus could have leaked from a lab. Interestingly, many of these people had been texting Dr. Fauci with concerns the virus appeared engineered. And within days these same scientists (who apparently are simpletons to the the TWIV squad) suddenly within 4 days signed the Lancet letter telling us average joes and average Joe virologists and epidemiologists (we just set around in trailer parks unless we are at a trump rally or shopping at Walmart for guns ) how questioning the Chinese makes us racist. I am educated and have a MS in a science based field. I know how the scientific method works. You and your team literally threw your colleagues under the bus. No debate. You all should know better that the question of where this virus came from is very relevant to prevent the next one. You want to get the politicians to bring the heat level down on this very important research? Have an honest debate and present your evidence to those virologists and epidemiologists who disagree. Or not and get all the funding cancelled. The TWIV team discounts the department of energy, the FBI, MI6, and about 17 other intelligence agencies from other countries. TWIV, your guests on this episode, Daszac, Rasmussen, are either much much smarter than everyone else or really the smartest idiots in the room. Sincerely The Dude

The arrogance and propaganda in service of the vaccine as the only solution narrative is why people don’t trust mad scientists. These guys want us all to live in fear forever so that they can tell us what to do. They think they’re better that the rest of us. As with many things, they are wrong.