The federal government's official source for information on COVID-19 health guidance has been replaced. The website formerly known as COVID.gov, which offered links to resources like testing, treatment, and vaccines, now redirects visitors to a White House page.
This new page focuses on the theory that the coronavirus originated from a laboratory leak in China. The site banner reads "Lab Leak: The True Origins of COVID-19".
The shift in online messaging follows other recent actions by the administration. Federal agencies received guidance to remove COVID-19 related signage from federal buildings this month.
The new White House website also includes criticisms of figures involved in the previous administration's pandemic response. Former President Joe Biden, former top health official Anthony Fauci, and the World Health Organization are named.
Arguments supporting the lab leak idea are presented on the site. One point highlights the location of a virology lab in Wuhan, China, where the virus first spread.
The previous version of the federal site detailed how soon people should seek treatment and included guidance for individuals with underlying medical conditions, according to archived versions of the page.
The White House website also takes aim at pandemic control measures implemented by predecessors. Social distancing, masking, and lockdowns are criticized. Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's handling of the pandemic is also called into question, labeled as "medical malpractice".
The Central Intelligence Agency assessed in January that a lab origin was more likely than a natural one. However, the agency stated it had low confidence in this assessment. Both scenarios remained plausible, the CIA noted at that time.
China has stated it supports research into the virus origin. The nation has accused the United States of politicizing the matter, specifically citing investigations by U.S. intelligence agencies. Beijing maintains there is no credibility to claims of a laboratory leak being the likely cause. The Trump White House website launch marks a significant change in the government's public communication about the pandemic.
The redirected site does not contain information for ordering tests, despite some federal health agency pages still linking to it for testing guidance as of the announcement. The Department of Health and Human Services said it is updating pages. The shift comes as the administration implements changes, including displaying new official portraits alongside the removal of public health messaging and follows reviews like the Select Subcommittee's report. More details on the change can be found in the CBS News report.
