Science-based approach to virus efforts backed

DHAKA/MOSCOW－Media outlets and politicians around the world are stepping up their call for a science-based approach on efforts to determine the origins of the virus behind the pandemic, after the United States recently issued a so-called investigation report on COVID-19's origins by the country's intelligence services.

"The United States and a fistful of its allies are trying to mislead the world," read a recent op-ed article in the Bangladesh Post.

"On Aug 27, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence of the US released a summary of the intelligence community assessment on COVID-19 origins, which is the latest example of America's above sinister intentions."

The article, titled "The World Should Adopt Scientific Attitudes to COVID-19 Origin-tracing", said the US and its allies were determined to foil the scientific and rational approaches of virus origins tracing at any cost.

"They don't care about precious human lives. Their reckless moves compel the world to believe that the US is trying to hide something fishy that happened in its territory by thwarting scientific origin-tracing of the virus, which is a must for saving humanity from the pandemic," the article said.

The world must adopt scientific attitudes to the origins tracing of COVID-19, the article said.

"They have to ignore every visible and invisible pressure from the US, which is crucial to save humanity from the fatal disease and prevent more pandemics in the future."

According to the article, the origins can be traced only by promoting early case search, molecular epidemiology, animal (intermediate) host introduction, and other origins-tracing studies in multiple countries and regions around the world.

Nonpolitical way

The entire process has to be fully guided by scientific evidence and can only be done in a scientific, nonpolitical way.

In Russia, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also blasted the US report.

"I would like to note with regret that the publication only led to another round of insinuations around a generally important and, I emphasize, a purely scientific issue," said Zakharova during her weekly briefing last week.

She stressed that such steps increased tensions in society and the international arena, and impeded joint actions to counter the spread of the virus.

Russia has previously voiced its opposition to the politicization of COVID-19 origins tracing.

"We consider it necessary to focus on finding ways in which we can develop international cooperation in fighting the pandemic, instead of using this global, human tragedy to settle scores at the interstate level and manipulate public opinion," she added.

Xinhua