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China Has Withheld Samples of a Dangerous Flu Virus

nytimes.com

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Re: China Has Withheld Samples of a Dangerous Flu Virus

#31

Post by dang »

Krasnol wrote: post #10
azurezyq wrote: post #4

While I'm not sure why Chinese government is not sharing the virus, I really don't like the way the article is written. The entire article is about guessing the reasons and developing a conspiracy (even the relation to trade war). No response so far from the official channel of Chinese government. Also for this section: >> The Chinese government has refused to share clinical data from infected patients, according to…

The only conspiracy here is, that you can be sure to find someone downplaying the issue every time something regarding China comes up here.

This steps into nationalistic flamewar, which is not allowed here. Both sides routinely accuse each other of dominating HN. Such comments add no information and provoke worse from others. Indeed, they're just another move in the flamewar.

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

Re: China Has Withheld Samples of a Dangerous Flu Virus

#32

Post by rrggrr »

SolarNet wrote: post #22
JumpCrisscross wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> One would therefore expect the US will obtain samples by other means From the article: ”At least four research institutions have relied upon a small group of H7N9 samples from cases in Taiwan and Hong Kong. (All four asked not to be identified for fear of further straining ties.)” That said, a travel ban on travelers originating from or having recently been to China is too harsh. Mandatory quarantines (with the cos…

I think the travel ban is meant to be punitive as much as it is a quarantine. I think the way the OP was suggesting it was travel restrictions to or from a country refusing to cooperate with treaties. Implemented in 30 days, not anyone who has traveled to China within 30 days.

@SolarNet ... correct.

Re: China Has Withheld Samples of a Dangerous Flu Virus

#33

Post by dang »

hd4 wrote: post #27
throwahate1231 wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am posting anonymously here because of all the toxicity of this comment. Take away "Chinese" from his argument and he still has an argument. Your comment on the other hand, is just throwing your emotions around. I suspect other commenters downvote him for the same reason. I find this every time an article about China comes up. Its infuriating because there is not legitimate discussion going on. It simply a downvoti…

Its not emotional when what he says is borne out by the direction any such discussion takes. What's wrong with questioning the obviously-concerted effort of downplaying anything done by the Chinese government, especially when we have a good idea of who is behind it ( https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/50_Cent_Party , https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https:/... )?

That accusation doesn't hold up at all when we look at the data. Indeed you could easily know that for yourself by looking at the histories of most HN accounts that post on the topic. The "50 Cent Party" didn't show up in 2014 to argue about Emacs so they could astroturf HN today. (I'm making that example up, but it's typical.)

This is really just a cheap shot, and there's a site guideline that specifically asks you not to: "Please don't impute astroturfing or shillage. That degrades discussion and is usually mistaken. If you're worried about it, email us and we'll look at the data."

What's true is: (1) HN users are divided on divisive topics, such as political questions surrounding China, so opposing views naturally show up here; and (2) HN commenters need to post substantively, avoid flamewars, and follow the rules at https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html.

Re: China Has Withheld Samples of a Dangerous Flu Virus

#34

Post by badcede »

bovermyer wrote: post #12
azurezyq wrote: post #4

While I'm not sure why Chinese government is not sharing the virus, I really don't like the way the article is written. The entire article is about guessing the reasons and developing a conspiracy (even the relation to trade war). No response so far from the official channel of Chinese government. Also for this section: >> The Chinese government has refused to share clinical data from infected patients, according to…

The Chinese government has proven time and again that it's supremely untrustworthy. That alone gives the article some credence.

No government is "trustworthy". Singling out the one you don't like seems dodgy.

Re: China Has Withheld Samples of a Dangerous Flu Virus

#35

Post by dang »

justboxing wrote: post #6
azurezyq wrote: post #4

While I'm not sure why Chinese government is not sharing the virus, I really don't like the way the article is written. The entire article is about guessing the reasons and developing a conspiracy (even the relation to trade war). No response so far from the official channel of Chinese government. Also for this section: >> The Chinese government has refused to share clinical data from infected patients, according to…

[flagged]

Please don't take HN further into flamewar with grand nationalistic rhetoric. We're interested in specifics here, not loud generics.

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

Re: China Has Withheld Samples of a Dangerous Flu Virus

#37

Post by m1573rp34130dy »

singularity2001 wrote: post #36

> … plastic drip mechanisms … there are no stockpiles why not?

stockpiles are not required if you have the RNA sequences of the virus... to make matters worse influenza is understood to the extent that any sophomore bio undergrad has the knowledge to create a nasty version, whether they know it or not...the big hurdle is the equipment which is not intrinsically expensive to build, and the biochemical reagents required e.g. restriction enzymes...

Re: China Has Withheld Samples of a Dangerous Flu Virus

#38

Post by amaccuish »

> At least four research institutions have relied upon a small group of H7N9 samples from cases in Taiwan and Hong Kong

So why can't Taiwan send a sample?

>The Office of the United States Trade Representative in April released a proposed list of products to be targeted for tariffs — including pharmaceutical products such as vaccines, medicines and medical devices.

Well then, what did you expect? That China do nothing?

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