Full text: Doubtful Points about Fort Detrick (USAMRIID)
2021-11-09 10:50
The full text of the non-paper entitled "Doubtful Points about Fort Detrick (U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease)."
Fort Detrick, where the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease (USAMRIID) is located, is the center of U.S. bio-military activities and notorious for its illegal, non-transparent and unsafe practices. Serious concerns have long been raised by the international community over U.S. activities at Fort Detrick, in particular about USAMRIID, and there are many doubtful points about its connections with COVID-19.
1. Fort Detrick was the center of the U.S. biological weapons program in history and USAMRIID was the main research entity there. Fort Detrick was known as the center of the U.S. government's darkest experiments. It remains the development center for U.S. germ warfare research, even after U.S. renouncement of all offensive biological weapons programs in 1969 and ratification to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in 1975.
2. The BSL-4 lab in USAMRIID is the only BSL-4 lab of the U.S. military.
USAMRIID stores almost all known deadly pathogens, such as Ebola, anthrax, smallpox, plague, and coronaviruses including SARS. Several staff in USAMRIID have conducted researches related to SARS, MERS and other coronaviruses. Back in 2003, after the SARS outbreak, USAMRIID worked with Ralph Baric's team from the University of North Carolina (UNC) and developed a novel reverse genetic system for manipulation of a full-length cDNA of the SARS-CoV, and relevant outcomes were published in a paper in 2003. According to the paper, within two months after obtaining the RNA of the SARS virus, the full-length cDNA of the virus was successfully synthesized. This shows that as early as 2003, these institutes already had the advanced capabilities to synthesize and modify SARS-related coronaviruses. In 2007, USAMRIID publis
2. The BSL-4 lab in USAMRIID is the only BSL-4 lab of the U.S. military.
USAMRIID stores almost all known deadly pathogens, such as Ebola, anthrax, smallpox, plague, and coronaviruses including SARS. Several staff in USAMRIID have conducted researches related to SARS, MERS and other coronaviruses. Back in 2003, after the SARS outbreak, USAMRIID worked with Ralph Baric's team from the University of North Carolina (UNC) and developed a novel reverse genetic system for manipulation of a full-length cDNA of the SARS-CoV, and relevant outcomes were published in a paper in 2003. According to the paper, within two months after obtaining the RNA of the SARS virus, the full-length cDNA of the virus was successfully synthesized. This shows that as early as 2003, these institutes already had the advanced capabilities to synthesize and modify SARS-related coronaviruses. In 2007, USAMRIID published a paper on the Journal of Virology about using the Ebola virus to conduct animal testing on rhesus monkeys. The virus strains used in the experiments were obtained through reverse genetics techniques, to specifically remove the furin cleavage site, in order to compare the changes in virulence of the viruses. It is worth noting that the furin cleavage site is believed to be one of the reasons that makes SARS-CoV-2 highly virulent. In 2018, USAMRIID carried out experiments on African green monkeys. The monkeys were experimentally infected with MERS-CoV to help study viral pathogenesis and develop vaccines. After COVID-19 broke out, USAMRIID and the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), a research institute affiliated to the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, co-developed the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.
3. Multiple bio-safety incidents have occurred in USAMRIID.
In 2001, five people were killed in an anthrax attack in the United States, and the suspect was a former employee of USAMRIID. In 2009, U.S. officials found during inspections that multiple pathogens studied in the institute were not listed in the lab database, and suspended some of the lab's research.
In May 2014, Waverley View Investors LLC sued the U.S. Army for loopholes in Fort Detrick's disposal of toxic waste, which caused the levels of trichloroethylene in the area to be 42 times as high as the federal standard. In February 2015, 106 families and individuals from Frederic County of Maryland filed a class action lawsuit against Fort Detrick for harm and death caused by exposure to hazardous materials from Fort Detrick and asked for 750 million US dollars in compensation. However, the U.S. Government and Army have consistently denied wrongdoing.
During U.S. CDC inspections to the USAMRIID lab in June 2019, serious violations were found. The CDC then shut down the lab and halted all researches in July 2019. The CDC reports laid out seven violations:
a. The USAMRIID systematically failed to ensure implementation of biosafety and containment procedures. Specifically, lab personnel were found to leave a door open while removing large amounts of biohazardous waste, greatly increasing the risk of pathogens escape and environment contamination.
b. An individual partially entered a room multiple times without the required respiratory protection while other people in that room were performing procedures with a non-human primate on a necropsy table, resulted in a respiratory occupational exposure to select agent aerosols.
c. The lab did not ensure that employee training was properly verified when it came to toxins and select agents, making it unable to assess whether lab personnel understood and commanded necessary skills.
d. Lab personnel did not wear gloves when disposing of biohazardous waste.
e. The lab failed to safeguard against unauthorized access to lab waste. Contaminated personal protective equipment were stored in specific area, but such area did not limit access to those with access approval.
f. Lab personnel did not maintain an accurate or current inventory for a toxin.
g. A lab building and its interior facilities did not have a sealed surface to facilitate cleaning and decontamination. Cracks were found around a conduit box, in the ceiling, and in the seam above a biological safety cabinet.
The lab restarted operation in November 2019, but it is not made public what has been done to redress these violations.
4. After the lab was shut down, outbreaks of respiratory diseases occurred in nearby communities.
In July 2019, 54 people in Greenspring, Virginia displayed respiratory symptoms including cough and pneumonia. The community is only one hour's drive from Fort Detrick. According to a health official from the State of Virginia, the number of reported respiratory cases in the area went up nearly 50% in the summer of 2019.
In July 2019, a mysterious pneumonia outbreak associated with e-cigarette use was reported in Wisconsin. Symptoms included shortness of breath, fever, cough, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, dizziness, and chest pain. Starting from then, an unprecedented outbreak of lung disease spread across the nation. As of 17 December 2019, more than 2,500 hospitalized cases were reported across 50 states. Experts believe this type of disease might represent one or more new clinical syndromes, and more researches are needed to determine the cause.
The 2019 influenza in the United States might have overlapped with COVID-19. According to U.S. CDC statistics, there were about 39 to 56 million influenza cases between October 2019 and April 2020, resulting in 24,000 to 62,000 deaths. Given the similar symptoms, COVID-19 patients could have been misdiagnosed as influenza patients. To determine whether such cases exist, in particular in and prior to October 2019, a nation-wide retrospective investigation and research should be done in the United States.
5. In March 2020, a petition was filed on the White House petition website, asking the U.S. government to disclose information related to Fort Detrick, especially the reason why the USAMRIID lab was shut down in 2019 and whether it had anything to do with COVID-19. The U.S. government has made no response, and the petition website has been taken offline altogether.
重庆第五人民医院入门大厅改成急诊室。（2022年12月23日）
华盛顿 — 根据彭博社和金融时报星期五（12月23日）的报道，中国政府本月初在无预警、无准备、无计划的情况下突然对“动态清零”的极端防疫封控措施实施松绑以来，短短两个多星期内中国的染疫人口已达将近两亿五千万人。
如果报道属实，那么这就意味着在中国14亿人口中，大约已有18%的人感染过新冠。这同时也意味着在圣诞节来临、元旦临近、春节将至的传统节庆团聚之时，疫情可能进一步升高，民众需要煎熬相当长一段时间之后，最终才能达到疫情的峰值，使其变化趋缓。
上海一家火葬场外身穿孝服的亲属手捧逝去亲人的遗像。（2022年12月23日）
彭博社和金融时报引述的数据据称是来自中国国家卫健委星期三举行的一次内部会议，而消息来源则是出席这次会议的知情人士。当天国家卫健委会议的重点是讨论如何有效救治在疫情爆发中染疫的民众。
据报道，中国国家卫健委当天举行的会议详细讨论了应对疫情的方法，会中并透露星期二单日中国全国的染疫人数就高达3700万，而当天中国官方统计的新增确诊人数却只有3049例。中国国家卫健委12月公布的全部新增确诊也只有62592例。
美国有线电视新闻网（CNN）报道说，中国的社媒上星期五流传了一份据称是这次卫健委会议的会议记录，但是CNN无法确定其真伪，而联络国家卫健委又未得到立即的回应。
上海市民在一家医院的发热门诊候诊。（2022年12月24日）
金融时报引述两位知情人士的话报道说，中国疾控中心副主任孙杨在国家卫健委举行的会议上向与会人士谈及了星期二单日3700万染疫的数字。他还表示，中国的疫情仍在上升，北京和四川超过半数的人都已经感染或感染过。
由于疫情持续飙升，上海市政当局星期六呼吁上海市民以防疫优先，在圣诞节这个周末尽量禁足在家，避免举办或参与庆祝圣诞的相关活动。
上海市卫健委指出，由于奥密克戎变异株传播力强，传播速度快，而且气温寒冷更利于病毒传播，因此年轻人要特别避免人数众多的派对和聚会。
圣诞节并不是中国的传统节日，但是越来越多的年轻人喜欢在圣诞节欢聚一堂，共度佳节。
上海一对情侣在一所医院的发热门诊里亲吻。（2022年12月23日）
中国在实施历时三年的“动态清零”极端防疫封控措施之后突然解封，终于使中国成为最后一个顺应世界潮流、学习与病毒共存的大国。此举虽然受到部分中国民众的欢迎，但奥密克戎变异株的肆虐和越来越多家庭染疫却让许多民众忧心忡忡。
上海南京西路一个繁华热闹的高档购物中心通常是庆祝圣诞的最佳去处，周边的餐厅和商家还会推出各式各样的促销活动来增加商机和节日的喜庆。
但是今年由于疫情肆虐，上海的圣诞节庆祝活动即使没有市政府的呼吁也已经大打折扣。
上海市民在新冠疫情施虐期间前往圣诞市场购物游玩。（2022年12月24日）
根据路透社的报道，许多上海的餐厅取消了通常为常客举办的圣诞聚会，而上海的旅馆由于员工染疫人手不够而被迫限制接待客人的人数。
“由于团队的大部分成员目前健康不佳导致人手不足，我们只能接待部分客人，”一位在上海旅馆业工作的女士莫卡塔（Jacqueline Mocatta）对路透社说。
也有人在社媒上贴文指出，由于他们的朋友全部核酸检测呈阳性，他们也只能在圣诞节期间禁足在家了。
“我本来计划圣诞节去上海的，但是现在我只能卧床不起了，”一位网民在微博上说。
英国健康数据公司Airfinity两天前在其官网上指出，数据模拟显示中国目前每天新增新冠感染者很可能超过百万，而每天新增染疫死亡者则可能超过5000例。
北京一家火葬场外排队等候进入的灵车。（2022年12月22日）
相关报道：中国疫情延烧 路透社点出“二无式”防疫缺失
“没有准备、没有数据”。路透社23日报道描述中国这一波疫情大流行之际，存在的“二无式”防疫缺失。报道还引述中国上海公卫专家张文宏的话警示，中国的疫情高峰还未来临，预计在未来一周，各地医疗机构才要面临挤兑的海啸压力。
在这篇综合报道中，路透社以“没有准备”（Unprepared） 以及“没有数据”（No Data）来形容中国近来疫情蔓延凸显的问题。
报道引述张文宏22日的谈话指出，中国“预计将在一周内达到感染高峰”，“感染高峰也会增加重症出现的几率，这将对整个医疗资源产生一定影响。”他还补充，这波疫情将持续一、两个月，“我们必须做好心理准备，感染是不可避免的。”
在数据的真实性上，根据中国卫健委官网23日公布的最新数据显示，12月22日0—24时，中国仍然是“无新增死亡病例”。这和包括北京在内、多地传出火葬场来不及处理遗体的情况有差距。
中国民众配合官方严格的清零政策防疫三年，在医疗量能提升上，中国官方看着各国的经历，又做了哪些准备？在许多专家眼中也显然是不足的。
路透社采访十几位全球卫生、流行病学专家及中国居民和分析人士都认为，官方在未能提高老年人疫苗接种率的情况下，贸然松绑防疫政策，是造成中国目前医疗挤兑的主因；而过去三年，官方把全部资源与心力都集中在不可能达成的“消灭病毒”、也就是“清零”政策，也加剧了现在整公卫体系崩坏的压力。
报道提到，中国三周前开始强调要提高老年人接种疫苗率的行动，尚未见效。 官方数据显示，中国的整体疫苗接种率超过 90%，但接种过加强针的80岁以上人群比例只有 42.3%。
这些人士还批评，过去三年，中国将资源大量投入在检疫和检测设施上，而不是加强医院和诊所的量能提升及培训医务人员。
报导引述新加坡感染科医生梁皓南（音译：Leong Hoe Nam）的话，中国现在的应对完全展现了“对病毒到来缺乏充足准备”，尽管这么多国家的经验给中国充分的警告。
中国国家卫生健康委员会没有回复路透社针对这些专家批评的回应请求。
报道最后指出，中国只批准九种国内自主研发的新冠疫苗，但这些疫苗都被认为不如使用mRNA新技术的西方疫苗有效。