CLAIM

Kamala Harris admitted that the COVID virus originated in a lab

FACT 

There is no conclusive evidence to suggest that the pandemic was the result of a lab leak with even WHO saying that “a laboratory origin of the pandemic was considered to be extremely unlikely.”

The US presidential debate on September 10 reignited claims on social media that the COVID virus was lab grown and that the pandemic was a result of a lab leak, with many claiming that Vice President Kamala Harris herself admitted the same during the debate.

The COVID pandemic and the US response under Donal Trump's presidency was slammed by Harris during the debate.

"But what Donald Trump did, let's talk about this with COVID, is he actually thanked President Xi for what he did during COVID. Look at his tweet. "Thank you, President Xi," exclamation point. When we know that Xi was responsible for lacking and not giving us transparency about the origins of COVID," she said. 

Harris was referring to a 2020 tweet by then President Trump, in which he appreciated China's "efforts and transparency," and praised the country for "working very hard to contain the Coronavirus."

China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President Xi!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 24, 2020

However, Harris' statement that "Xi was responsible for lacking and not giving us transparency about the origins of COVID" has led to many on social media, especially supporters of Trump, claiming that the Vice President has now "admitted" that the virus was lab grown.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the former democrat who has now endorsed Trump, was one of them.

"VP Harris sounds like she just admitted the Covid virus originated in a lab. That was one of the “conspiracy theories” the Biden-Harris administration censored on the Internet. #Debate2024," he wrote in a post that has now been viewed close to 6 million times, and has over 46,000 reposts, and close to a quarter million likes. 

VP Harris sounds like she just admitted the Covid virus originated in a lab. That was one of the “conspiracy theories” the Biden-Harris administration censored on the Internet. #Debate2024

— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) September 11, 2024

Another popular proponent of the theory was Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert. 

"Did everyone miss the part where Kamala admitted COVID came from China? So why was she so bent out of shape when Trump called it the China Virus?," she asked in a post that has over 170,000 views and about 15,000 likes. 

Did everyone miss the part where Kamala admitted COVID came from China?

So why was she so bent out of shape when Trump called it the China Virus?

— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) September 11, 2024

So what are the facts?

The origins of the COVID virus is a hotly contested issue that has become highly partisan as well.

When the COVID pandemic first hit the world in 2020, President Trump and many of his supporters referred to the virus as a 'Chinese Virus' or 'Wuhan virus,'  the insinuation being that it was a lab grown virus of Chinese origins, and that the pandemic was the result of a leak from a lab in Wuhan, China. Though Trump went on to clarify that he was only referring to the geographical origin of the virus, he continues to use the divisive term on the campaign trail in the run up to the US Presidential elections 2024.

The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 16, 2020

At the time, the WHO had warned against linking the virus to any particular place or community, to avoid stigmas. A group of scientists, who called themselves "public health scientists" and had "closely followed the emergence of 2019 novel coronavirus disease," also published an article in the Lancet that they "strongly condemn conspiracy theories suggesting that COVID-19 does not have a natural origin."

Since then, multiple agencies, organisations and scientists have attempted to study the origins of the virus. 

The WHO went on to dismiss the Wuhan lab leak theory after their scientists flew to China to investigate the origins of the virus, saying “a laboratory origin of the pandemic was considered to be extremely unlikely.”

However, the WHO added that “the international team recognized the impact of the epidemic on Wuhan, from affected individuals and communities to government officials, scientists and health workers.” 

The WHO team commended “the engagement of all the professionals who had spent long hours analysing very large quantities of data to support its work” and called for “a continued scientific and collaborative approach to be taken towards tracing the origins of COVID-19.”

In the meantime, other agencies who were looking into the origins of the virus threw up conflicting theories. 

"In June 2023, all the agencies involved said either a leak or animal origins were plausible scenarios. The National Intelligence Council and four other agencies said animals were the likely source. The FBI and the Department of Energy thought it was more likely to be a laboratory incident," reported the BBC.

A more recent study seems to suggest that the pandemic may have originated from a natural spillover from the animals in a Wuhan wet market, and "identified half a dozen animal species that could have passed SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, to people." This study bolsters the natural spillover theory, rather than a laboratory leak. 

However, the lab-leak theory continues to persist, but there has been no credible evidence to back the claims. 

"Those who eagerly peddle suggestions of laboratory involvement have consistently failed to present credible arguments to support their positions," read a recent piece in the Lancet. 

Also read: US military’s anti-vax campaign targeted Muslims to undermine China during pandemic: Report

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