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# NY Times Eats Crow (Or Bat?): COVID Wuhan Lab Origin Theory Un-‘Debunked’
- URL: https://goodoil.news/ny-times-eats-crow-or-bat-covid-wuhan-lab-origin-theory-un-debunked/
- Published: 2021-05-25T04:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2021-05-24T03:33:13.000Z
- Author: Guest Post
- Tags: COVID-19, Media, News, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2024-07-17 01:54

**Clay Waters**  
[newsbusters.org](https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/clay-waters/2021/05/23/ny-times-eats-crow-or-bat-covid-wuhan-lab-origin-theory-un-debunked?ref=goodoil.news)

*Clay Waters was director of [Times Watch,](http://www.timeswatch.org/?ref=goodoil.news) a former project of the [Media Research Center.](http://www.mrc.org/?ref=goodoil.news) His self-published whodunnit? is [Death In The Eye.](http://www.amazon.com/Death-Eye-Clay-Waters-ebook/dp/B00YEWD7QE/ref=sr%5F1%5F4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1435714366&sr=1-4&keywords=clay+waters&ref=goodoil.news)*

The *New York Times* finally updated its irresponsible reporting on an idea it notoriously “debunked” just two months ago – the possibility that the coronavirus really could have originated in a lab in Wuhan, China, as opposed to from a bat in a Wuhan “wet market.”

Much of the paper’s mockery focused on allegations by **Li Meng Yan**, a virologist from Hong Kong, who claimed the virus was a man-made Chinese bioweapon. The *Times* and the rest of the media mocked not only that theory, but also dismissed a less dramatic possibility — that the coronavirus could have been studied in the Wuhan lab when it escaped.

Such a scenario seems more likely after a letter penned by 18 scientists ran in the journal *Science,* calling for a further investigation. There was also a comprehensive May 2 analysis from former *Times* science reporter [Nicholas Wade](https://nicholaswade.medium.com/origin-of-covid-following-the-clues-6f03564c038?ref=goodoil.news), and another by another former science reporter, Donald McNeil: “[Why the Covid-19 ‘Lab Leak Theory’ Needs Another Look](https://donaldgmcneiljr1954.medium.com/how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love-the-lab-leak-theory-f4f88446b04d?ref=goodoil.news),” each giving credence to the formerly “fringe” idea the virus may have escaped a lab in Wuhan.

After long smearing the pro-Trump advocates of the position as ignorant and even anti-Asian (even though an Asian virologist was among the most prominent people making the claim), the *Times* offered a short follow-up story (perhaps online only) that failed to acknowledge the paper’s smug claim in March 2021 that the “lab” hypothesis had been “[debunked](https://twitter.com/JerryDunleavy/status/1375949967953686530?ref=goodoil.news).”

The full headline to the May 13 story by James Gorman and Carl Zimmer: “[Another Group of Scientists Calls for Further Inquiry Into Origins of the Coronavirus](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/13/science/virus-origins-lab-leak-scientists.html?ref=goodoil.news) — Researchers urge an open mind, saying lack of evidence leaves theories of natural spillover and laboratory leak both viable.”

This was the only hint of the paper’s previous smug certitude:

> Previous statements from other scientists and the W.H.O. report both asserted that a natural origin was by far the most plausible.

Here is how the *Times* previously dismissed the theory.

From a [September 2020 story](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/16/business/media/facebook-instagram-tucker-carlson-virus-posts.html?ref=goodoil.news):

> Intelligence agencies have been skeptical that the pathogen can be conclusively linked to a lab. **Scientists who have studied the genetics of the virus agree that it began as a bat virus and likely evolved to jump to humans. Many have dismissed theories that the virus infected researchers in a lab accident.**

As recently as March 2021, the *Times* blamed the theory for anti-Asian violence (never mind the lab theory came from an Asian researcher): “[Anti-Asian Online Posts Helped Set the Stage For Real-World Violence](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/19/technology/how-anti-asian-activity-online-set-the-stage-for-real-world-violence.html?ref=goodoil.news).”

In October 2020, Katherine Wu wrote confidently that “[Another ‘Unfounded’ Study on Origins of Virus Spreads Online](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/13/technology/another-unfounded-study-on-origins-of-virus-spreads-online.html?searchResultPosition=3&ref=goodoil.news).”

> **An overwhelming body of evidence continues to affirm that the coronavirus almost certainly made its hop into humans from an animal source** — as many, many other deadly viruses are known to do.  
>  
> But since the early days of the pandemic, **experts have had to fight to combat misinformed rumors that the coronavirus emerged from a lab as part of a sinister scientific project**.

Most notorious was that March 26, 2021 story, cowritten by Gorman along with Julian Barnes: “[Ex-C.D.C. Director Favors Unproven Virus Origin Theory.” ](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/26/science/redfield-coronavirus-wuhan-lab.html?ref=goodoil.news)(That would be Dr. Robert Redfield.) The original headline was worse: “Ex-CDC Director Favors Debunked Covid-19 Origin Theory.”

> **The claims that the virus was created or modified intentionally in a lab were dismissed by scientists and U.S. intelligence officials. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence in the Trump administration concurred “with the wide scientific consensus that the Covid-19 virus was not man-made or genetically modified.”**

And the Chinese Communists wouldn’t lie, would they?

> **The Chinese government, prominent Chinese scientists and many virologists, who study the evolution of viruses and the appearance of infectious diseases, have said the lab leak theory was very unlikely,** citing genetic evidence and the many opportunities for natural infection in human interactions with animals like bats, where the virus is believed to have originated.

The question remains: Why were the mainstream media so eager to absolve the Chinese Communist Party, which hardly has a sterling record of honest dealings and veracity?

**Please share this article so that others can discover *The BFD***.