Asian American leaders fear Covid-19 origin report could fuel more bigotry and violence

Asian American leaders are concerned that a report on the origins of the Covid-19 virus expected to be released this week by the Biden administration will be used to "legitimize racist language" and lead to more anti-Asian violence across the country.

Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, thousands of people in the United States have been victims of anti-Asian incidents, from verbal abuse to physical attacks. More than a year later, Asian American advocates fear that even more women, children and seniors will be at risk as the nation slowly returns to schools, workplaces and outdoor activities this fall. For the past three months, US intelligence agencies have been poring over data and raw intelligence after President Joe Biden ordered a 90-day investigation into how the Covid-19 virus originated, including the possibility that it emerged from a lab accident. The deadline for the report is up this week.