Over the last few days, 5G towers in Birmingham, Liverpool and Melling in Merseyside have been targeted over rumours that they are spreading the novel coronavirus.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Rumours allege a link between 5G networks and spread of Covid-19
- Several 5G towers have been burnt down in the UK over such fears
- Government officials denied any link between the technology and the virus
The on-going Covid-19 outbreak has already claimed the lives of thousands and left many more in hospitals in its wake. This has understandably created a lot panic and fear in the minds of people across the globe. However, some are dealing with these fears in the worst way possible.
Case in point, some miscreants in the United Kingdom who heading to baseless conspiracy theories have begun targeting 5G networks across the country. The BBC reports that over the last few days, cellular towers in Birmingham, Liverpool and Melling in Merseyside have been set ablaze, all in an attempt to stop the spread of the novel Coronavirus.
The report goes on to add that a video, allegedly of an incident in Aigburth, was also shared on YouTube and Facebook. The video claimed a link between the next-gen 5G technology and the current Covid-19 outbreak.
The seemingly farcical situation is threatening to turn ugly, and has even forced the hand of the UK’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, which has had to Twitter to explain that “there is absolutely no credible evidence of a link between 5G and coronavirus.”
The incident even elicited a response from the UK government, with Cabinet Office minister, Michael Gove, calling such rumours “dangerous nonsense”. He further went on to add that conspiracy theories linking 5G with Covid-19 were “just nonsense, dangerous nonsense as well.”
5G causes coronavirus because it’s sucking the oxygen out of your lungs, according to a video being spread on Facebook. I want to 😂 but the fact people believe this bullshit is genuinely scary pic.twitter.com/kY3g5MJtu9
— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) March 3, 2020
While there are many conspiracy theories floating on the web, with some even blaming the Russians for the spread, the most popular ones revolve around claims that Covid-19 originated in Wuhan when the country started to roll-out 5G in the city.
The virus is now claimed to be spreading to other cities where infrastructure is being laid down for the next-gen telecom technology. Another theory claims that the virus suppresses the immune system, and uses the network’s radio waves to communicate and pick victims.
While there is no scientific explanation for the claims being made here, one critical thing that these conspiracy theories fail to explain is how Covid-19 is also spreading to countries such as India, Japan, Pakistan and Iran where the infrastructure for 5G networks doesn’t exist.
(This story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed)