Since COVID-19 pandemic began , Internet teeming provocative conspiracy theories novel coronavirus ( 1 ) created Wuhan , China , lab deployed bioweapon ( 2 ) derived bats , grown tissue culture , intentionally accidentally transmitted researcher , released community.Politicians touted theories attempt blame China pandemic , discredited US scientist recently released book now-banned video claiming wealthy people deliberately spread COVID-19 boost vaccination rates.And late last week , unsubstantiated NBC News report cell phone location data suggested Wuhan lab temporarily shut `` hazardous event '' October.Even Kristian Andersen , PhD , professor Department Immunology Microbiology Scripps Research Institute La Jolla , California , lead author research letter published Mar 17 Nature Medicine origins virus , first thought COVID-19 likely accidentally released lab come nature .