Fact-checking latest right wingnut COVID conspiracy

The summary from this fact check. Click the link for the full story thoroughly debunking the conspiracy nuts. (Also see this discussion in Nature journal.)

"To study the role of the spike protein in the severity of COVID-19 illnesses, researchers exposed 10 mice prone to develop severe disease to a hybrid version of the virus. Eight mice died. Social media posts say researchers created a dangerous new variant with an '80 PERCENT Kill Rate,' potentially leaving the false impression that this pertains to humans. Also, the hybrid virus used in the study had a lower mortality rate than the original virus had on mice."