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Did COVID-19 Actually Come From a Lab? Two Top Scientists Debate Its Origins

Anti-science Republicans are once again asserting that COVID-19 came from a lab. But does the 'lab leak' theory have any actual scientific merit? Doctors Angela Rasmussen and Ashish Jha discuss.

There’s nothing Republicans love to do more than:

  1. Rehash the COVID-19 pandemic

  2. Pretend to know what they’re talking about

In the last few weeks, Senate Republicans have been able to do both of these, as they relentlessly claim that the COVID-19 virus must have come from a lab in China, despite all the scientific evidence saying otherwise. Nevertheless, the GOP’s messaging has proved to be quite convincing, with the majority of Americans believing COVID-19 came from a lab.

But here at Zeteo, we believe in cutting through the noise, listening to the experts, and hearing out reasonable people (aka, not Senator Rand Paul).

That’s why in this ‘Mehdi Unfiltered’ segment, Mehdi moderates a very factual and insightful debate on the lab leak theory. Leading virologist and Save America Movement science chair Dr. Angela Rasmussen argues that COVID-19 likely came from zoonotic – or natural – origins, not a lab, while Dr. Ashish Jha, who was President Biden’s COVID-19 response coordinator, argues that COVID-19, in his view, likely came from a Chinese laboratory.

Here are some of the key questions Mehdi asks:

  • Why Jha changed his mind on COVID-19 origins and now supports the lab leak theory

  • Why Rasmussen’s own research supports zoonotic origins

  • Whether Republicans have overstated the merits of the lab leak theory

  • Their reactions to recent GOP misinformation around the COVID-19 vaccine and miscarriages

  • How prepared – or unprepared – the U.S. is for another pandemic

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You won’t see an informed, in-depth, good-faith debate like this, on Covid and its origins, anywhere else in the media!

Paid subscribers can watch the full 46-minute debate above, while free subscribers can access a 4-minute preview. Consider upgrading your subscription to never hit a Zeteo paywall again!


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