The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Covid-19 virus ‘may not have emerged in China’
The virus which causes Covid-19 may not have emerged in China, a World Health Organisation (WHO) scientist has suggested.
Professor John Watson, who was part of the WHO team that travelled to China to investigate the origins of the pandemic, said the virus’s leap from animals to humans may have occurred outside the country’s borders.
He told BBC One’s The Andrew Marr Show yesterday that the pandemic most likely started with an infection in an “animal reservoir” which was then passed on to humans through an “intermediate host”.
Asked if he was sure the virus emerged in China, Prof Watson, who previously served as England’s deputy chief medical officer until 2017, said “No”.
He said: “I think that there are all sorts of reasons to do with the way it did start in the outbreak in Wuhan and the various bits of information about the way in which these viruses live in different animal reservoirs, that suggest that China is a very, very possible source for the outbreak, but by no means necessarily the place where the leap from animals to humans took place.
“And I think we need to ensure that we are looking beyond the borders of China, as well as within China.”
Concerns have been raised about the WHO team’s access to vital data from the Chinese Government.
Asked if the WHO team was given access to the raw data about the first 174 people who contracted coronavirus in China, Prof Watson said they saw a “great deal” of information about the cases.
However, he added that the team was only given access to a “certain amount” of the raw data.
As the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out continues across Scotland, seven Fife GPS had extra reason to feel proud at the weekend, when they were rostered on vaccination duty within the town where they all went to school.
Dr Callum Duncan, 44, of Pipeland practice, St Andrews; his wife Dr Sara Mcquitty, 44, of Airlie practice, Methil and Dr Steve Macfarlane, 44, of Blackfriars practice, St Andrews, were on duty doing extra shifts at the Covid vaccination hub in Corn Exchange, Cupar, alongside Sara’s sister Dr Kirsty Mcquitty, 41, of Muiredge practice, Buckhaven, and Dr Hannah Dakin, 52, Dr Graham Thomson, 39, and Dr Rebecca Thomson, 40, all of Airlie practice, Methil.
The seven GPS, who all live locally, are former pupils of Bell Baxter High School in Cupar.
They were supported by other NHS staff, many of whom also attended Bell Baxter.
Dr Duncan, a father-offour who lives in Cupar, said: “NHS Fife recently changed their policy and allowed GPS to help out with the vaccinations.
“On days off we’ve been trying to do vaccines, so it feels like I’m not seeing my kids much!
“Myself and Steve happened to catch the timetable for Saturday and realised all the GPS on duty were former Bell Baxter pupils.
“Then I noticed the Sunday timetable as well were another batch of all former Bell Baxter pupils.
“The whole service, of course, involves so many others from within the NHS. We are only a part of the team, not its entirety. I know some of the vaccine support team are also locals and ex-bell Baxter pupils.
“But it’s nice that the community of Cupar that produced us can now reap the rewards during these difficult times.”
Dr Duncan, who was in the same year at Bell Baxter as his wife Sara and Dr Macfarlane, who all studied medicine at Glasgow University together, said there’s no doubt the last year had been “difficult” for GPS and they had all been working very hard.
Dr Duncan added that from the perspective of GPS who have had to do a lot of work remotely over the past 11 months, it was also “really joyful” to be able to see more patients face-toface again and they were all feeling “much more positive” about the situation.
He added: “It’s been really joyful to be able to see people again and we’ve been able to provide what seems to be the beginning of the end of Covid.
“It’s really been rewarding for us. I think it’s really nice just to get some positivity out there.”