Legislators in both House and Senate have called for closing wet markets worldwide that offer both live and dead exotic animals and reptiles as food.  A resolution introduced by Rep Steve Chabot (R-OH) representing the first district of Ohio also calls into question the disinformation spread by the Government of China regarding the origin of COVID-19.

In a separate action senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and four other Senatorial colleagues from both sides of the aisle have addressed a letter to the World Health Organization urging a global shutdown of wet markets that are a potential source of zoonotic infections.

Given that the wet market system is a fact of life in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, legislators should not anticipate a rapid response and compliance. In some respects their well-intentioned action may be regarded as quixotic.

In February 2020 the Government of China banned breeding, transporting and sale of exotics recognizing the risks associated with holding and slaughtering non-conventional species in markets selling meat from domestic livestock together with other food items.

This ban will be virtually impossible to enforce.  The edict from the central government made an exception for traditional Chinese "medicine" creating a significant loophole to continue exploitation of wildlife and perpetuating a potential means of transmission of animal viruses to humans.

From the perspective of the U.S. it would be more practical to ban our wet markets that operate in many urban centers.