Paul McCartney wants 'medieval' bat eating, 'wet markets' banned in China

Paul McCartney is urging the Chinese government to ban wet markets following the theory that the spread of COVID-19 originated from the live animal market in Wuhan.

The Beatles frontman did not mince his words when he blamed the wet markets in China, which recently reopened, for the spread of COVID-19. Speaking on SiriusXM's The Howard Stern Show on Tuesday, the singer called it unhygienic and "medieval" to be eating bats. The popular theory is that the fatal disease stemmed from eating live bats that carried the novel coronavirus.

"I really hope that this will mean the Chinese government says, 'OK guys, we have really got to get super hygienic around here.' Let's face it, it is a little bit medieval eating bats," McCartney told host Howard Stern.

The musician believes that things have got to change at some point and this includes what he called "quite medieval practices" in China. He then urged the Chinese government to "clean up their act" because "it's affecting the whole world."

"It wouldn't be so bad if this is the only thing it seems like you can blame on those wet markets. It seems like SARS, avian flu, all sorts of other stuff that has afflicted us ... and what's it for?" he continued adding, "I think it makes a lot of sense... when you've got the obscenity of some of the stuff that's going on there and what comes out of it, they might as well be letting off atomic bombs."

The 77-year-old rocker said that the COVID-19 pandemic has left him disappointed for his fans who bought tickets to watch him headline the Glastonbury Festival in the U.K. He said he feels sad that it had to be cancelled or postponed because he was looking forward to performing live.

The COVID-19 pandemic has most of the world quarantined in their homes as a precautionary measure. McCartney shared that he has been isolating with his daughter, Mary, and her family while his wife is still in New York.

McCartney is keeping the optimism alive though. He feels that everyone can get through the COVID-19 pandemic if we work together and do whatever is necessary to keep everyone safe.