Biden: Intel community torn between ‘two likely scenarios’ on COVID-19 outbreak source

United States intelligence officials are currently torn between “two likely scenarios” on the source of the Covid-19 outbreak.

According to Fox News, President Biden asked the intelligence community to “redouble” their efforts to “collect and analyze” information that could bring intelligence officials closer to a “definitive conclusion.” Biden says that he as a candidate promised to appeal to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “to get access to China to learn about the virus so we could fight it more effectively.” Biden explained that, “As of today, the U.S. Intelligence Community has ‘coalesced around two likely scenarios’ but has not reached a definitive conclusion on this question.”

The first scenario is that the virus originated in a Wuhan lab, possibly linked to the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The second is the theory of the virus coming from animal-to-human contact. Biden says that “the United States will also keep working with like-minded partners around the world to press China to participate in a full, transparent, evidence-based international investigation and to provide access to all relevant data and evidence.”

When asked whether the Biden administration would punish China when the source of the outbreak of Covid-19 is revealed, White House principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded, “I’m just not going to prejudge. I’m not going to make a statement until, you know, until we know what happens after this 90-day review.” The Biden administration and the intelligence community are expected to continue to investigate the origins of Covid-19 outbreak until a conclusion is reached.