Fact: Syrian hamsters are highly susceptible to covid. All previous variants were highly dangerous for them, more so than for mice and other lab rodents.
Question: if you wanted to create a more benign, but more virulent variant of covid on an animal model, which target would you use?
One that comes to mind easily is a variant that does not harm Syrian hamsters. That would be a clear lab research target. And interestingly... that's exactly what Omicron is.
But is that what happened? Again, all we have here is a narrative that fits the facts. That is not a statement about truth.
Filip, pls, I really need to know more about the hamster 🐹 thx ☺️
I thought you wouldn't ask!
Fact: Syrian hamsters are highly susceptible to covid. All previous variants were highly dangerous for them, more so than for mice and other lab rodents.
Question: if you wanted to create a more benign, but more virulent variant of covid on an animal model, which target would you use?
One that comes to mind easily is a variant that does not harm Syrian hamsters. That would be a clear lab research target. And interestingly... that's exactly what Omicron is.
But is that what happened? Again, all we have here is a narrative that fits the facts. That is not a statement about truth.
I know SARS2 leaked from a Wuhan lab, but believe Omicron came naturally from a reservoir (American deer and/or American deer mice)
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/discovery-of-omicron-in-new-york-deer-raises-concern-over-possible-new-variants-180979559/
https://x.com/jhas5/status/1601635884025405441?s=20
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-022-01268-9
interesting comment regarding Syrian hamsters
https://x.com/jhas5/status/1729711704857088107?s=20
Wow. Thx for the answer. I think is a remarkable piece of information