A viral claim that COVID-19 is a cover-up for deaths due to radiations from 5G network towers has made a comeback. In 2020 this claim was in circulation around March, in the early stages of the pandemic. This claim was debunked by fact-checking organizations at that time as well.
These are fact-check reports from last year by Ekta members debunking the link between COVID and 5G.
Vishvas’ investigation from 2020 had countered the claim that 5G radiation is fatal. “5G devices emit a small amount of non-ionizing radiation, and this can be absorbed by the body. When it is absorbed by the body it results in tissue heating, but the heating is too small to be harmful, and far less than we experience during our normal daily routines”, said Rodney Croft, professor at the University of Wollongong and a member at the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), in his interaction with Vishvas. The viral post had also claimed that COVID-19 vaccine contains a chip for surveillance by authorities. This was circulating even before the vaccine was developed.
BOOM debunked a viral video by Dr. Thomas Cowen, an M. D. from the United States, who theorised that the novel coronavirus originated from the toxic excretions of the human body due the 5G network expansion. The report used scientific evidence to break down Cowen’s conspiracy theory and question the veracity of the claims he made.
AFP Fact Check spoke to experts who confirmed that 5G is based on radio frequency and that this does not create viruses.
Webqoof’s story addressed one of the conspiracy theories that the coronavirus emerged from Wuhan, where the Chinese were testing 5G technology. It has supposedly spread to cities using 5G. The story highlighted the fact that India and Pakistan battled the coronavirus despite not having 5G in the countries.
India Today’s report said, “5G technology and novel coronavirus are completely unrelated. As of now, science says there’s no link between these two. Novel Coronavirus spreads from human-to-human contact, which is why most of the world is observing lockdowns on a national level. 5G technology has nothing to do with how this virus spreads.”
Meedan’s team of public health experts provide scientific information on how 5G is highly likely to have lower potential health impacts than the previous generations of mobile networks. It has been designed to use and emit less power while also lowering operation costs.
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