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Waiting for the truth: is reluctance in accepting an early origin hypothesis for SARS-CoV-2 delaying our understanding of viral emergence?

Authors :
Marta, Canuti
Silvia, Bianchi
Otto, Kolbl
Sergei L Kosakovsky, Pond
Sudhir, Kumar
Maria, Gori
Clara, Fappani
Daniela, Colzani
Elisa, Borghi
Gianvincenzo, Zuccotti
Mario C, Raviglione
Elisabetta, Tanzi
Antonella, Amendola
Source :
BMJ global health. 7(3)
Publication Year :
2021

Abstract

Two years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, key questions about the emergence of its aetiological agent (SARS-CoV-2) remain a matter of considerable debate. Identifying when SARS-CoV-2 began spreading among people is one of those questions. Although the current canonically accepted timeline hypothesises viral emergence in Wuhan, China, in November or December 2019, a growing body of diverse studies provides evidence that the virus may have been spreading worldwide weeks, or even months, prior to that time. However, the hypothesis of earlier SARS-CoV-2 circulation is often dismissed with prejudicial scepticism and experimental studies pointing to early origins are frequently and speculatively attributed to false-positive tests. In this paper, we critically review current evidence that SARS-CoV-2 had been circulating prior to December of 2019, and emphasise how, despite some scientific limitations, this hypothesis should no longer be ignored and considered sufficient to warrant further larger-scale studies to determine its veracity.

Details

ISSN :
20597908
Volume :
7
Issue :
3
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
BMJ global health
Accession number :
edsair.pmid..........34cc1900f2694d3c0f6c88654522f2ef