I'm kind of surprised they were allowed to do this kind of research out of biosecurity concerns.

Similar studies were met with an uproar in the early 2010s and a moratorium on gain of function work in respiratory viruses was the result.

Granted, those were in live viruses used in animal models, but the overarching concern then of 'providing a roadmap for bioterrorists' is the same, even with this group's in vitro methods.

Regardless, this shows how little is really required for a serious event to kick off.

A few hundred thousand MAGA need to write out their wills.

#2 | Posted by Zed

Potentially more than that. So far, this isn't showing the 35% case fatality rates avian H5N1 has shown over the past few decades of sporadic cases.

But even at 10%, you'd have lethality rates 10x that of COVID.

The only saving grace is that we already have FDA approved vaxx platforms in existence and likely some stocks of vaccines already produced. I'm sure an updated mRNA will be made available as well (potentially, I guess, depending on Kennedy) so it won't take nearly as long to start vaxxing the population as it did with COVID.

But even 3-5 months could lead to devastating effects on communities if people don't take it seriously.

and, if i may add, apparently not yet peer-reviewed

It's peer reviewed. It's an early version that will likely see corrections prior to full release, but it's peer reviewed.