64 chiropterologists (those who study bats) frm 6-SouthAsian countries debunk myths nd present 7-points tht
clarifies:
#BATS do nt spread #Covid_19 nd ask2 #StopVillainizingBats #bat4bats
@ParveenKaswan
@susantananda3 @rameshpandeyifs
@SudhaRamenIFS
Follow #Thread for details

The Seven Points as listed by several bat experts including @paintedbat @BaheerathanM and others are as follows...
1) The exact origin of SARS-CoV-2 or its precursor is not known. It is premature and unfair to blame bats or any other animal for the pandemic.

2) Scientists strongly suggest that it is highly unlikely for SARS-like viruses to jump directly from bats to humans. Also, there is no evidence of humans contracting coronavirus or any such viruses through the excreta of bats .

3) The recent report from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on the discovery of bat coronaviruses (BtCoV) in two species of South Asian bats poses no known health hazard. The viruses found in the study are different from SARS-CoV-2 and cannot cause COVID-19.

4) Info on current, nd past zoonotic disease outbreaks suggest tht global wildlife trade nd/or large-scale industrial livestock farming play an imp role in such events. Killing bats nd other wild animals, or evicting thm frm thr roosts in retaliation will not solve any problems.

5) Bats perform vital ecosystem services Pollinate flowers of many other commercially and imp plants Insect-eating bats are voracious eaters of pest insect in rice, corn, cotton a
nd tea farms. There4 bats benefit ecological nd human health nd provide intangible economic benefits

6) The society currently needs more awareness abt bats arnd thm in addition 2d epidemiological facts fr healthy coexistence We therefore request Media houses and the Press to consider possible negative impacts of their statements on bats and other animals before releasing them

7) Lastly we urge the Governments of South Asian countries to strengthen the legal framework to protect bats in view of their ecosystem services and their slow breeding capacity