“THEY” knew. “THEY” lied about it.
“THEY” also new from 2005 studies with SARS virus that hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) shut the virus down.
SARS virus and COVID-19 share the same spike protein that attaches to the ACE2 receptor.
The name "COVID-19" is derived from "corona" for coronavirus, "vi" for virus, and "d" for disease, with "19" indicating the year it was first identified, 2019. The virus that causes COVID-19 is officially named SARS-CoV-2, reflecting its genetic similarity to the virus responsible for the SARS outbreak in 2003.
“THEY” didn’t want you to associate it with SARS, so they called it. COVID-19. Do a PubMed search for SARS and HCQ. The research is out there. It is irrefutable. The researchers even thought HCQ could be prophylactic against the spike protein.
The more you know.