What about COVID-20?' U.S. cuts funding to group studying bat coronaviruses in China

[Judi Lynn]

Source: USA Today


Kim Hjelmgaard
USA TODAY

The head of a research group that studies bat-borne coronaviruses in China similar to the COVID-19 strain that's ravaged the globe has warned that a U.S. government decision to cut funding to his organization imperils American public health.

EcoHealth Alliance's research grant was abruptly terminated last month by the National Institutes of Health, the primary agency of the U.S. government responsible for biomedical and public health research. EcoHealth Alliance's research in China is focused on identifying and warning about coronaviruses dangerous to human health.

"I'm really concerned about where this leaves us," said Peter Daszak, director of the New York-based organization, in a USA TODAY interview.

"Once we've overcome COVID-19, what about COVID-20? What about COVID-21? Who is going to go out and find those? Our grant was specifically designed to locate where these viruses are and to stop them from harming Americans," he said.



Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2020/05/09/coronavirus-us-cuts-funding-group-studying-bat-viruses-china/3088205001/

[rickyhall]

1. This is deliberate premeditated murder.

[duforsure]

12. He knows what he's doing

Will weaken us, and hurt us. That's why I think putin is involved, and why trump is desperately trying to keep the full un-redacted report under wraps, and his taxes, because they would expose him, and putin.

[Ford_Prefect]

2. Man in charge says we don't need a plan, just his gut feelings about it (prez points to his head)

It will fade away and be gone by summer? Be quiet children, while daddy thinks up the next big lie.

At this point you have to wonder just how much "magical thinking" is going on and how much of Putin's hubris is shaping policy. They seem to be far too concerned with erasing genuine reference points of all kinds for this to be the result of only one mind and attitude.

[Maxheader]

3. Stumpy has pulled all American involvement

With other nations to fight corona..to their dismay..however I think news

between scientists will continue..stumpy can't stop that..And it may be just

as well we aren't involved, with such a dysfunctional bunch of idiots here,

that would want to get involved.

[Lonestarblue]

4. It's as if Trump thinks the government has no responsibility for anything.

His cuts to a program that took US scientists out of China last July and his decision to ignore intelligence briefings in November led us to where we are today with nearly 80,000 people dead. Can you imagine the uproar in this country if he had started a war and 80,000 Americans had been killed! There would be demands for his head. Instead, his supporters are doing things like holding up protest signs saying sacrifice the weak. I feel like I’m in an alternative universe where the inmates are running the show.

[machoneman]

5. Trump wants 50 governors to each send a repr. paid for by the states!

[Turbineguy]

6. Trump wants to save something

for his next term.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

7. "What about COVID 1 through 18?" Kellyanne Conway

I'm not kidding she actually said this.

[SunSeeker]

8. Murder, that's what this is.

[Initech]

9. Can we just kill all bats and be done with it?

Asking for a friend.

[AntiFascist]

10. The Obama administration placed a voluntary moratorium on dangerous coronavirus research...

calling for a study of the risks versus rewards, and where the lines should be drawn on research that was considered too dangerous. This was a much more scientifically based, reasonable approach that went out the window in 2017 after Trump took office.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

11. Screw Covid-20. By the time it hits, it's President Biden's problem. Let HIM blame Obama.

Me (Trump), I'm tired of blaming Obama, being treated badly by the press, especially those who think Lincoln was a better president than me.