The Lancet Commission looking into the global SARS-CoV-2 pandemic response has levelled some withering criticism at the failure of governments and agencies to tackle the pandemic and uncover its origins.

Key quotes:

The proximal origin of SARS-CoV-2 remains unknown

No independent, transparent, and science-based investigation has been carried out regarding the bioengineering of SARS-like viruses that was underway before the outbreak of COVID-19

Independent researchers have not yet investigated the US laboratories engaged in the laboratory manipulation of SARS-CoV-like viruses

The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) has resisted disclosing details of the research on SARS-CoV-related viruses that it had been supporting

This staggering death toll is both a profound tragedy and a massive global failure at multiple levels

Too many governments have failed to adhere to basic norms of institutional rationality and transparency

Too many people – often influenced by misinformation – have disrespected and protested against basic public health precautions

The world’s major powers have failed to collaborate to control the pandemic

A lack of timely notification of the initial outbreak of COVID-19

Costly delays in acknowledging the crucial airborne exposure

The lack of coordination among countries regarding suppression strategies

The failure of governments to examine evidence and adopt best practices for controlling the pandemic

Shortfall of global funding for low-income and middle-income countries

Failure to ensure adequate protective gear, diagnostics, medicines, medical devices, and vaccines

The lack of timely, accurate, and systematic data on infections, deaths, viral variants

The Lancet Commission on lessons for the future from the COVID-19 pandemic

We haven’t found anything in the Lancet Commission’s report that we disagree with. The failures they illuminate have had catastrophic effects for hundreds of millions of people worldwide, and will continue to do so for generations to come.

There is no excuse for the failures either. There were plenty of early warnings of what was in store:

Half of all #Coronavirus patients on the Diamond Princess with mild or no symptoms showed lung damage.

CT scans of the lungs of patients with no or mild #COVID19 symptoms showed that half of them still had abnormalities apparently caused by the virus.https://t.co/5gaLs8YaiR

— Corona Heads Up (@CoronaHeadsUp) March 25, 2020

A great summing up of some of the key points of the Lancet COVID-19 report by Dr John Campbell on Youtube below:

In response to the Lancet Commission report, the WHO has gone into full damage limitation mode:

WHO responds to the Lancet COVID-19 Commission

WHO: The End Is Nigh

Image by Patty Jansen from Pixabay