I can't remember where it was from, but something I read last year was saying that the virus had been examined and that when someone is genetically engineered/modified by a lab, there are certain tell-tale markers on them which is a give-away but they didn't see them on this?
I'll have a poke about and see if I can find it
There is a strong suspicion that the virus have been modified. French and Indian scientists came out early on saying that there are four genetic sequences that are "not found in coronaviruses", one of them being that of the HIV. I haven't heard the latter confirmed. The interview with the Caltech scientist I posted above discusses one of the confirmed "strange" genetic codes - the furin cleavage site. That can be introduced into the DNA/RNA with enzymes working like scissors (a Noble price was given to that method a few years ago). So, it could have been man-made introduction of genetic material. But the professor says that some coronaviruses have acquired that sequence through natural evolution, so it can't be proven that Covid is man-made. Hopefully, we'll know one way or the other in 10 years or so.
As for such work on viruses to attain "gain of function" for military applications, every country with resources is doing it. China, Russia, US, UK, France, etc. The trouble with Russia and China, more so the latter, is that they are sloppy and the virus is more likely to escape. The key question for me is what happens afterwards. We haven't had such an escape from the West to know, but we already know what China does - let everyone have the virus so that they avoid economic catastrophe. That's fucking scary! But for them it's the right decision...