Chinese Scientist Evicted From Lab After Publishing COVID-19 Sequence

The first scientist to publish a sequence of the COVID-19 virus in China, virologist Zhang Yongzhen, has been locked out of his lab and staged a sit-in protest in response.

Zhang's (center) protest has garnered widespread attention on Chinese social media. I Photo: Scotted400 Wikimedia Commons

Dake Kang reported for the Associated Press (AP) that Zhang and his team were notified of their eviction from the lab, marking the latest setback in a series of challenges they have faced since publishing the sequence in January 2020 without state approval.

Zhang's protest has garnered widespread attention on Chinese social media, highlighting concerns about state pressure and control over scientists conducting research on the coronavirus.

The Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center stated that Zhang's lab was undergoing renovation and provided an alternative laboratory space. However, Zhang indicated that the alternative lab did not meet safety standards for their research, leaving his team in a precarious position.