by John Palomino
The United States Congress approved this Friday a bill that calls for the declassification of information from the country’s intelligence services on the origins of Covid-19. The bipartisan initiative goes to the table of President Joe Biden.
After its authorization in the Senate on March 1, the House of Representatives gave its unanimous approval with 419 votes in favor and none against, so it was sent to the White House to become law.
The goal, according to the bill, is for the United States and other countries to identify the source “as soon as possible” and use that information to take action to prevent similar pandemics.
Among the requested data is information about the coronavirus research carried out by the Wuhan laboratory before the appearance of Covid-19, and about the researchers who fell ill in the fall of 2019, including whether they visited a hospital while they were with symptoms.
US intelligence agencies are divided on whether a laboratory leak or animal spill is the likely source of the deadly virus, national media say.
The debate has also revived tensions between powers, as Beijing accuses Washington of politicizing the health emergency and recalls that there was already a World Health Organization (WHO) mission on the ground.
Experts say the true origin of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than a million Americans, may not be known for several years, if at all.
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John Palomino is a reporter for ADN America.
Photo “Joe Biden” by The White House. Background Photo “Wuhan Institute of Virology” by Ureem2805. CC BY-SA 4.0.
