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Comment by goolulusaurs | Hacker News Reader

Why the hell would you put a virology lab in the middle of a huge city with millions of people? I am not a virologist, but to me it seems like if covid was a lab-leak then it could have been avoided very easily just by having the lab in the middle of nowhere, like in the desert or the artic. Instead of the whole world having to go into lock down, with millions dying, just put the lab in a remote location, and make it so that before anyone leaves they have to quarantine for 2 weeks. This seems obvious, why isn't it standard protocol?

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> This seems obvious, why isn't it standard protocol?

Would you take a job that had that requirement? Want a few days off? 2 week quarantine. Would investors be ok with this? Want to pay expensive PHD for vacation plus quarantine time (which could be days off x 10 working days every time). The problem is that the workers in the lab are just as human, have the same needs for relationships and contact, and some have enterprises outside of their day job. Want to speak at a conference? 2 week quarantine...

Sure that makes sense, but you could crank their pay way up to compensate, build places for their family to stay if they desired like the families of the scientist working on the Manhattan project, present at conferences through teleconferencing. There are scientist who stay in Antarctica for months and the international space station. Yes it would be inconvenient, but look at what (maybe) happens if you don't.

> Sure that makes sense, but you could crank their pay way up to compensate,

Some things aren't for sale. I'm not going to take a job that makes it impossible to see my family on short notice at any price.

Even if the price is the lives of millions and the whole world in lockdown? We might be better off if you don't take the job then. Also you ignored the rest of the sentence you are quoting and my examples of highly skilled scientist who are willing to make that sacrifice in Antartica and the ISS.

> Even if the price is the lives of millions and the whole world in lockdown?

I don't have to research gain of functionality in virus. I can chose to research something else. Yes, some people are willing to do extreme things in pursuit of their careers, but most people, even highly educated people have things they value more than their job.

> I'm not going to take a job that makes it impossible to see my family

Literally addressed in the very next part of that same sentence you quoted:

> build places for their family to stay if they desired

Cool for you though if you aren’t for sale. There are many people in this world with quite varied interests and motivations. I wouldn’t do it either in my current position in life, but might have considered it when I was younger.

These questions, while valid, should not matter. People who had to work in Los Alamos would perhaps have preferred a location in Manhattan, too.

There is an oversupply of scientists who would do anything to work in their fields. One could also question if this sort of research has ever produced anything valuable (I'm not in the field, genuine question).

> There is an oversupply of scientists who would do anything to work in their fields.

I'm pretty sure that's not true, and assumes that people will rationally accept a bad deal. Personal experience is that the better educated a worker is, the higher their expectations are for how they are treated. Example: tenured faculty at a college.

"So you've just completed your doctorate degree, how would you like to move to Bedford, WY?"

Researchers are going to want a city with libraries, hospitals, manufacturing, restaurants, etc.

US has a lab in rural Montana.

I believe they were collecting samples from nearby bat caves: build your lab where your specimens are?

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