I think the reason covid became politicized is the same individualistic vs communitarian tension in all other american politics.

  Individualistic: vaccines don't help the young
  Communitarian: vaccinating everybody creates herd immunity that protects the community
  
  Individualistic: Masks don't protect the wearer 
  Communitarian: Masks reduce the virus the wearer breathes out reducing the harm to others

On lab-leak, Rogan pushed it hard based only on circumstantial evidence while Fauci thought natural spillover was more likely but didn't rule out lab leak. I don't think we'll ever know for certain.