pfr I will try to walk back the conspiratorial musings but what will it accomplish? Will it lessen a hatred of the powers that be that you already dislike/distrust?

Yes an outbreak is a media goldmine that keeps giving. Why wouldn't it be?

Our collective nature has a deny first quality. This happened in China first. Yes time and opportunities were lost. The same here.
The budget to fight and isolate outbreaks wasn't just decimated it was cut by a third. We seem to be in a CANCEL Culture.

I wrote right here 20 years ago of threats to civilization. There are many. I was critisized for doing so. Now Murdoch owns TV stations that always play end of world shows. But this is not the end of the world, Not even close.

Regarding bio weaponry the haunting question that was asked many times was 'what if we weaponied the common cold'? Nature does things better than man when it comes to DNA life or 'half alive' RNA.
It is possible we did it or nature did it. How will that help people of retirement age today?

What are the benefits of this outbreak? There are some. NOT Caring for the old and infirm does save money and resources like pushing grandpa out to sea on a ice flow.

It is of no use to investigate that now whether it is all unadultrated BULL SHIT or not..

I can't think of one thing a conspiracy theory will help except horror stories at night while camping.