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Comment by Jordan D. Zehr

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Coauthor of a 2026 Cell study on natural selection before viral epidemics and pandemics
We conclude that extensive pre-zoonotic adaptation is not necessary for human-to-human transmission of zoonotic viruses. In contrast, the reemergence of H1N1 influenza A virus in 1977 was preceded by a shift in selection intensity, consistent with the hypothesis of passage in a laboratory setting.
Disputed (Mar 6, 2026)
Source:
Jordan D. Zehr, coauthor of Jennifer L. Havens et al., "Dynamics of natural selection preceding human viral epidemics and pandemics," Cell, published online March 6, 2026.
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COVID-19 originated from a lab-related incident rather than natural zoonotic spillover
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Disputed The quoted text appears verbatim in the PubMed abstract at the supplied URL, and PubMed lists the article as Epub 2026-03-06. But the source is a multi-author paper with eight named individual authors; Jordan D. Zehr is one coauthor, not the sole attributed speaker, so this is not verifiably a single-author Jordan D. Zehr quote. ([pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41794027/)) · YouCongress gpt-5.4-2026-03-05 · 1h ago
replying to Jordan D. Zehr