In the past two days, an incomprehensible thing happened in the Shanghai Public Health Center, the laboratory of virus expert Zhang Yongzhen and his team members was forced to close, and even personal belongings, including notebooks, were not allowed to be taken out, and the reason given by the public health center was to upgrade the laboratory.
It is reported that Zhang Yongzhen is a well-known virology expert, he led the team members to discover more than 5,500 new viruses, and in January 2020, he took the lead in analyzing the whole genome of the new coronavirus, which enjoys a high reputation at home and abroad, and has also made great contributions to the fight against the new coronavirus.
Latest developments
In the early morning of April 30, Zhang Yongzhen forwarded the students' news, informing them that this was the second night he slept at the door of the laboratory, fortunately it did not rain like the day before, and his students also slept at the door to accompany him, and the leaders of the public health center sent several more security guards to "guard".
Compared with the previous night, I could only sleep on a cardboard shell, and on the second night, it was thicker, and I took a few more quilts, and the sleeping space was larger, and there was water and some food on the ground.
Four security guards are guarding on both sides, this picture is very sad, a top expert wants to resist in this way, it really chills his heart, and it also makes netizens who are concerned about this matter even more angry, so far no relevant leaders have appeared to solve the matter, so that the conflict continues to intensify.
Early in the morning of the 30th, expert Zhang Yongzhen posted two more news, saying that he was lying on the floor at the gate to usher in the dawn, and also informed that the weather was relatively cold that night.
And many security guards at the door deliberately made it difficult for him, talking loudly at the door, playing videos, etc., not letting him sleep well, even the security guards dared to be so arrogant, so blatant to bully people, who gave him the "right", it was too infuriating.
Mr. Zhang's student also updated the news, informing him that the hospital had sent two female security guards to accompany him in the laboratory, presumably to keep him inside.
He also said that one of the two female security guards sat on the foam box that usually transports samples, and the other lay on it, which was very unsafe, neither wearing gloves nor lab coats, so the public health center actually did not realize what "biosecurity" was, and he felt that the two female security guards were also quite miserable, and he kindly brought them a stool, and they brought him breakfast.
Why was the lab forced to close
What the majority of netizens don't understand is why the hospital closed the laboratory, and why Zhang Yongzhen and the students were not allowed to take their personal belongings even if they were closed for renovation, what is the hidden behind this.
As netizens said, on the surface, it is just a problem of laboratory relocation, and it seems that there is no need to make such a fuss, but what about the deeper problem?
The leadership of the public health center did not respond again
After the incident was exposed, the public health center issued a statement of the situation, saying that the reason for the closure of the laboratory was to carry out closed construction, but the specific relocation was not told in detail, and Zhang Yongzhen's appeal was not answered.
The media contacted the person in charge of the Shanghai Public Health Center, who said that the agreement had been terminated by October 2022, and he now has no personal relationship or collaboration with us.
A top expert has been treated like this, but the contradiction between the two sides is not a day or two, so what is the truth?