Scientists have recently discovered that animal viruses have the potential to jump to humans all the time, but only a small portion of these viruses will actually infect people.
The ability to create a vaccine against all strains of influenza A would be a significant achievement in the world of vaccines, as influenza is constantly changing. However, it is an ongoing challenge due to viruses consistently emerging with new strains.
Lex discusses the possibility of coverups in future pandemics and highlights the challenges in empathizing with the Chinese government's actions during the COVID-19 outbreak. He also questions whether the US government would have done the same.
The RATG13 virus, discovered in Yunnan, China is 96.2% similar to SARS-CoV-2, but it may not serve as a backbone for the virus. However, there is a possibility of other viruses, collected in Laos or Cambodia through the EcoHealth Alliance proposals, being similar to SARS-CoV-2.
Possums have a lifespan of two years in the wild and around three to four years if they live in captivity.