At some point, the smoking gun is going to be visible to all except the emperor and his adherents.
I guess that at some point down the line as people retire or die, the truth will out, but I suspect it will be many years before that happens. And while it is, leaping to a conclusion without all the necessary evidence to support the hypothesis. The rest of the world should frame emergent pandemic awareness going forward in the context of the "Captain Trips" methodology. Rather than looking exclusively for a natural origin from the outset.
That's a terrible way to operate even if it's necessary, because it casts suspicion, muddies the water and causes tensions. However, in terms of risk management, it's quite clearly sensible.
