Should 'The Lancet' and 27 scientist-authors issue public apology for publishing/authoring letter on 19th February 2020 that *condemned* theories suggesting COVID-19 does not have a natural origin?

Here is 'The Lancet' letter published on 19th February 2020 with the title, "Statement in support of the scientists, public health professionals, and medical professionals of China combatting COVID-19", along with the names of all the 27 scientist-authors: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30418-9/fulltext .

The relevant paragraph text from it is as follows:

The rapid, open, and transparent sharing of data on this outbreak is now being threatened by rumours and misinformation around its origins. We stand together to strongly condemn conspiracy theories suggesting that COVID-19 does not have a natural origin. Scientists from multiple countries have published and analysed genomes of the causative agent, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2),[1] and they overwhelmingly conclude that this coronavirus originated in wildlife, [2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9,  10] as have so many other emerging pathogens.[11,  12] This is further supported by a letter from the presidents of the US National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine[13] and by the scientific communities they represent. Conspiracy theories do nothing but create fear, rumours, and prejudice that jeopardise our global collaboration in the fight against this virus. We support the call from the Director-General of WHO to promote scientific evidence and unity over misinformation and conjecture.[14] We want you, the science and health professionals of China, to know that we stand with you in your fight against this virus.

--- end extract from 'The Lancet' letter ---

Now it would have been fine if they had stopped at saying in February 2020 that the evidence that they had at that point led them to "overwhelmingly conclude that this coronavirus originated in wildlife". They could have said that theories about non-natural origin (Lab origin) of COVID-19 were highly improbable. That may have been a fair statement to make at that time.

But they went further than that. They acted like some high priests of bygone ages who burned heretics at the stake! They wrote: "We stand together to strongly condemn conspiracy theories suggesting that COVID-19 does not have a natural origin."

They acted as if they knew everything! Now in early June 2021, I think it is quite clear that the truth *then in February 2020* was that non-natural or lab origin of COVID-19 could not be ruled out as impossible. So who were they to condemn it? They spoke untruthfully in their mistaken enthusiasm to squash non-natural or lab origin theories for COVID-19. They ***misled*** the mainstream media and most of the world which trusted them. They failed the mainstream media and the world.

Therefore, in my considered opinion, 'The Lancet' journal which published the letter must publicly apologize for the 'condemn' statement if it wants to be viewed as a truthful journal. Further, I think all these 27 scientists who authored the letter must apologize publicly for that 'condemn' statement, if they want to be viewed as truthful people.