Chinese scientist allowed to return to lab after protests

Zhang Yongzhen, the first scientist in China to publish the sequence of the COVID-19 virus, and his team have been granted temporary access to continue their research

Zhang Yongzhen, the first scientist in China to publish the sequence of the COVID-19 virus, announced that he and his team were allowed to return to their lab after being locked out for days, during which he led a sit-in protest.

In a post on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform, Zhang announced that the medical center hosting his lab had agreed to temporarily allow them to return and continue their research.

Team members will now have free access to the lab and negotiations are ongoing to relocate the lab without disrupting their work.

Zhang and his team were suddenly told to vacate their lab for renovations last Thursday when the dispute arose.

After finding himself locked out, Zhang launched a sit-in outside the lab on Sunday, drawing attention to the challenges facing Chinese scientists working on the coronavirus.

The Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, where Zhang’s lab is located, stated that the closure was for safety reasons during renovations and offered alternative lab space.

However, Zhang claimed that the alternative space offered did not meet safety standards for his research.

The dispute is the latest in a series of challenges Zhang has faced since publishing his virus series in January 2020 without government approval.

Despite international recognition for his work, Zhang was removed from his position at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and faced restrictions on collaborating with former partners.

While some of Zhang’s online posts have been removed, his protest has been covered by China’s state-controlled media.

In his post on Wednesday, Zhang expressed his gratitude for the support he received during his ordeal.

“I would like to thank my online followers and people from all walks of life for their interest and strong support over the last few days!” he said on social media, expressing his gratitude.

Source: AP