2. A Question of Trust

A team of top scientists ask where Covid came from. But can they trust data from China?

As the new virus takes hold in Wuhan, the Chinese state downplays its infectiousness and punishes a doctor who sounded the alarm. It raises the question of trust in what China and its scientists say - a question soon at the heart of a brewing political storm over Covid’s origin. Western scientists offer a response to claims the virus could’ve leaked from a lab. But are they being given the full picture?

Archive: CBS; The White House; NPR; Weibo; CGTN; Tom Cotton; CBS; MSNBC; Democracy Now!; CNN.

Presenter: John Sudworth

Series producer: Simon Maybin

Editor: Richard Vadon

Sound design and mix: James Beard

Commissioning editor: Dan Clarke

Science advice: Julian Siddle and Victoria Gill

Extra production: Eva Artesona and Kathy Long

Research support: Zisheng Xu and BBC Monitoring

Production coordinators: Siobhan Reed, Helena Warwick-Cross, Sophie Hill, and Debbie Richford

Theme and original music: Pete Cunningham, with trumpet by Joss Murray

Radio 4 Editor of Editorial Standards: Roger Mahony

Head of BBC News - Long Form Audio: Emma Rippon