After it was reported that Chinese researchers released “a trove of new genetic data” that can potentially help discern the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) expressed that while it is a step in the right direction, a full investigation cannot be conducted until China releases all available data it has related to SARS-CoV-2.
“We’re glad that scientists from China’s CDC released this new batch of data that will allow researchers from countries worldwide to analyze for clues on what could’ve started the pandemic,” said AHF Director of Global Advocacy and Policy Guillermina Alaniz. “That said, we’ve had three years of China’s lack of transparency and unwillingness to cooperate by its refusal to grant investigators access to all the information that could determine how the outbreak began. We hope this leads to China uploading more of its data onto platforms like GISAID, which will foster true transparency and cooperation – aspects global public health needed profoundly throughout the pandemic yet didn’t get.”
