Professor Tim Spector explains Covid origin ‘suspicions’ and diet change to make

Professor Tim Spector has explained what he believes are the origins of – and what people need to do for tjheirhelath to be in a better position to survive it, and other pandemics.

The professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London and founder of the Zoe health app which at the time of the pandemic logged emerging symptoms said he believed it came from an ‘accidental laboratory leak’ in China.

Writing he said: “The most likely scenario, in my view, is that the pandemic was the result of an unfortunate and accidental lab leak. I’ve not shared my stance on the human error origins of before, as the topic has been too hot to discuss publicly and conflated with wild conspiracy theories that could hinder science.

“However, I was always suspicious that the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which was researching the infectiousness of coronaviruses, was just a few miles away from the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, where the outbreak in raccoon dogs supposedly began.

“The lesson to learn is that we should tighten up controls for labs that are working with dangerous viruses, to prevent another pandemic.

“It’s as risky as working with bioweapons, nerve gas toxins or nuclear energy. It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t continue research but it should be treated with the same stringent checks all over the world.”

Prof Spector said that there was a 50/50 chance we could see another pandemic in our lifetimes – and that there were a few potential causes.

He said: “At the moment, avian flu seems to be the top contender, (closely followed by Mpox). Bird flu has been bubbling away in the background, killing off a huge number of chickens each year, and could easily mutate to infect people.”

On our personal health and how we can give ourselves a better chance, Prof Spector said that looking at our diets was one of the most important things. He explained: “A big part of the reason the UK took such a big hit during – in terms of infections and fatalities – was due to the nation’s poor diet.

“We published a study which showed that diet quality was one of the major predictors of the severity of infection and death. We can do something about that – starting now.

“If you eat more fruit, veg and fermented foods and less ultra-processed rubbish, you’ll be better at fighting off a whole host of infections, including , colds and whatever the next pandemic might be. You may still catch them but you’ll have a better fighting chance because our diet, gut health and immune system are linked.

“People who eat a poor diet and are overweight or obese face a double-whammy risk from infection. Acting to improve your diet and maintain a healthy weight is a worthy investment for us all; confirmed that. Don’t be complacent if you’re obese. If you’re eligible for Ozempic or Wegovy, take these life-saving drugs, even if you have to go private to do so.”