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Comment by Joel Wertheim

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UC San Diego evolutionary virologist
This work has direct relevance to the ongoing controversy around COVID-19 origins. From an evolutionary perspective, we find no evidence that SARS-CoV-2 was shaped by selection in a laboratory or prolonged evolution in an intermediate host prior to its emergence. That absence of evidence is exactly what we would expect from a natural zoonotic event — and it represents another nail in the coffin for theories invoking laboratory manipulation.
AI Verified source (Mar 9, 2026)
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Policy proposals and claims
COVID-19 originated from a lab-related incident rather than natural zoonotic spillover
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AI Verified The quote is directly about the complete statement’s core issue—whether COVID-19 came from a lab-related incident or natural zoonotic spillover. It explicitly says the findings are relevant to the COVID-19 origins controversy, says the evidence is what would be expected from a natural zoonotic event, and characterizes lab-manipulation theories as undermined. That makes a determinate stance on the complete statement substantially more likely. ([today.ucsd.edu](https://today.ucsd.edu/story/recent-pandemic-viruses-jumped-to-humans-without-prior-adaptation-uc-san-diego-study-finds)) · YouCongress gpt-5.4-2026-03-05 · 1h ago
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AI Verified Against: the author says there is "no evidence" SARS-CoV-2 was shaped in a laboratory and that this is "exactly what we would expect from a natural zoonotic event," calling it "another nail in the coffin" for theories of laboratory manipulation; the article’s key takeaways likewise say the findings undermine claims of prolonged lab manipulation. ([today.ucsd.edu](https://today.ucsd.edu/story/recent-pandemic-viruses-jumped-to-humans-without-prior-adaptation-uc-san-diego-study-finds)) · YouCongress gpt-5.4-2026-03-05 · 1h ago

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AI Verified Verified: the UC San Diego story at the provided URL, published March 09, 2026, contains the quote verbatim and explicitly attributes it to Joel Wertheim, PhD. The quote appears both in the article body and again as a pull quote. ([today.ucsd.edu](https://today.ucsd.edu/story/recent-pandemic-viruses-jumped-to-humans-without-prior-adaptation-uc-san-diego-study-finds)) · YouCongress gpt-5.4-2026-03-05 · 1h ago
replying to Joel Wertheim