As of mid-November, the coronavirus pandemic that began in the central Chinese city of Wuhan has killed 6.6 million people globally and infected 635 million.
Though a combination of immunity from vaccines and infection seems to be ending the pandemic’s emergency phase, SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, remains unpredictable. It has mutated in unexpected ways before.
One reason that scientists have struggled to stay ahead of the coronavirus is that China’s ruling Communist Party (CPC) has interfered with their investigations. Despite boasting about its ability to safeguard people’s lives, China has put politics above health concerns throughout the worst pandemic in a century.