Imagine you’re a captain of a ship navigating treacherous waters. You rely on charts and maps to plot a safe course. Now imagine if crucial parts of those charts were missing or inaccurate. That’s the concern of advisers to the World Health Organization (WHO) who are urging China to share all information related to the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic. Just like a captain needs complete and accurate data to navigate safely, scientists need complete and accurate data to understand and contain the virus. Recently, new findings about COVID-19 were briefly shared on an international database used to track pathogens, but this was not enough. To fully comprehend how and where the pandemic started, all data must be made available. The WHO advisers’ plea for transparency is important because it allows researchers across the globe to analyze the data and provide insights into the origins of COVID-19, enabling us to better prepare for future pandemics. Understanding the true origin of the virus is like finding a missing puzzle piece that completes the picture of a complex jigsaw. So let’s support open communication, collaboration, and the sharing of knowledge between nations in order to build a safer future.
