Myth and reality N3: 5G networks “are not to blame” for the spread of coronavirus

Another conspiracy theory about coronavirus is circulating on YouTube, Facebook and other social networks.

According to a widespread belief, the cause of coronavirus is the 5th generation telecommunication technologies.

Proponents of the theory are divided into two groups. Some say that 5G networks cause Covid-19 or its symptoms. The other group is not so radical. According to them, 5G networks simply weaken the human immune system, making them vulnerable to viruses.

While social media owners have announced that they will remove materials with such content – videos, pictures, posts, some Hollywood stars are contributing to the spread of the hypothesis by making posts in support of the theory on Twitter.

Content on 5G networks’ connection to Covid-19 has already become widespread in Armenian Internet platforms and among Armenian Facebook users.

The Fact Investigation Platform has found out why this information is evidently false and has nothing to do with the reality.

What is 5G?

The 5th generation mobile connection, or 5G technology, is currently the fastest in the world and is able to connect to a larger number of devices than the 4G LTE network. This connection has been used in the United States and a number of other countries since 2018. Several major companies, including Samsung, Motorola, Huawei and LG, are already releasing 5G phones. Apple plans to release such phones only in the fall.

According to the World Health Organization, mobile phone communication is carried out by radio waves, which are transmitted through a network of fixed antennas, the so-called base stations. Radio waves are electromagnetic fields that, unlike ionizing radiation, such as X-rays or gamma rays, can neither break chemical bonds nor cause ionization in the human body, which means that it is impossible to influence human DNA. Therefore, they cannot pose a great threat to human health.

5G networks and the outbreak of coronavirus in Wuhan

As a stark evidence of the theory, the authors cite the fact that the coronavirus broke out immediately after the installation of 5G networks in Wuhan, which is the source of the epidemic.

There is a viral video in which the Chinese allegedly break and remove 5G stations. In fact, the video was taken during a rally in Hong Kong, when protesters tried to remove street lights with smart cameras.

Wuhan is indeed one of the first Chinese cities to have been partially covered by 5G networks since August 2019. However, besides Wuhan, a number of other Chinese cities are also covered by the new generation network, including Beijing and Shanghai.

Thus, 5G networks have nothing to do with the outbreak of the new coronavirus, and the epidemic has spread even in countries where there is no 5G network. In addition, according to WHO, mobile connection cannot have an irreversible effect on the human immune system.

It should be reminded that earlier we wrote about other myths related to the coronavirus infection, in particular, about the “healing” properties of hot water and ginger.

Lusine Voskanyan