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According to Declassified UK, the British government has been sending live animals and shellfish to “wet markets” in China, like the one responsible for the coronavirus outbreak, for years despite warnings from officials over health and safety concerns.

Theresa May visited Wuhan to set up trade deals with China and encouraged them to lower meat standards to allow for UK imports, the publication reported. However, the government has been telling UK citizens to avoid wet markets for their own health.

The UK government, Public Health England, warned British travelers to avoid wet markets to avoid the bird flu. Warnings were issued in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. While May’s government was shipping more meat and exports to those same wet markets.

Theresa May left Wuhan in 2018 with trade deals worth £10 billion. The end of the announcement shares that the government negotiated with China to lift “BSE (mad cow disease) restrictions by summer 2018, supporting our beef market access negotiations, valued at £250 million in the first five years.”

While scientists believe the coronavirus came from bats, officials are concerned about exotic animal markets’ possibilities to carry coronavirus or other infectious diseases. Read more about exotic animal markets, called “wet markets,” in One Green Planet, check out these articles:

Read more about protecting yourself from coronavirus. Check the CDC website for more information on how to protect yourself and check our latest article to learn how COVID-19 differs from the flu.

Scientists believe that the spread of COVID-19, or coronavirus, started at an exotic animal market in Wuhan, China. You can help stop the incidence of viruses like these by signing this petition to ban the wildlife trade.

This is a good time to reconsider our intake of animal products to stay healthy. Eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental wellbeing, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health, and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, prostate cancer and has many side effects.

Interested in joining the dairy-free and meatless train? We highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals, and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Catch up on our latest coronavirus coverage in One Green Planet, check out these articles:

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