NPR is facing mockery for previously ruling out the idea the COVID-19 pandemic originated in a lab.
On Dec. 31, 2020, NPR tweeted a story with the headline, “Even If It’s ‘Bonkers,’ Poll Finds Many Believe QAnon And Other Conspiracy Theories.”
The tweet’s caption stated, “A new poll finds 40% of respondents believe in a baseless conspiracy theory that the coronavirus was created in a lab in China.”
“There is zero evidence for this. Scientists say the virus was transmitted to humans from another species,” it added.
Over two years later, The Wall Street Journal reported the Energy Department believes a lab leak started the pandemic.
The Journal explained the “conclusion is the result of new intelligence and is significant because the agency has considerable scientific expertise and oversees a network of U.S. national laboratories, some of which conduct advanced biological research.”
However, it added the conclusion was reportedly made with “low confidence.”
The FBI came to the same conclusion with “moderate confidence” in 2021.
One user wrote, “‘Increasingly, people are willing to say and believe stuff that fits in with their view of how the world should be, even if it doesn’t have any basis in reality or fact…’ It might be time for a long look in the mirror ?”
Another user chimed in, “LOL WAIT…. I thought that was a BASELESS CONSPIRACY THEORY. I need new conspiracy theories. Mine are all coming true.”
“So about this…” wrote conservative talk show host Apryl Marie.
The Georgia Log Cabin account wrote, “This did not age well! NPR aggressively pushed misinformation used to justify censorship of reporting questions concerning the origin of the corona virus pandemic.”
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN on Sunday there is still “not a definitive answer that has emerged from the intelligence community” about the virus’ origins.
“Some elements of the intelligence community have reached conclusions on one side, some on the other. A number of them have said they just don’t have enough information to be sure,” he added.
While different agencies have drawn various conclusions about the origins of the virus, there is a consensus it was not started as a biological weapon.