Conspiracy theorists have believed for a long time that cellular networks pose health risks including cancer. The 5G technology is still in its infancy. Telecom operators are setting up new 5G towers and upgrading existing ones to roll out 5G. But 5G towers across Europe and the United States are being vandalized and burnt because of coronavirus conspiracies.
Conspiracies blaming 5G for coronavirus pandemic
The 5th generation cellular technology is supposed to deliver a new digital experience. It would provide blazing fast Internet speeds to enable communication between self-driving cars, augmented reality experiences, advanced gaming, home automation, and Internet of Things. But people are also blaming 5G technology for the coronavirus pandemic.
In January, a Belgian newspaper published an article where a doctor claimed that 5G could have caused the COVID-19 pandemic. The article has since been taken down, but it was just the beginning of the coronavirus conspiracies. The 5G technology is probably being punished because the timing of its rollout coincides with that of the coronavirus.
Dozens of 5G towers in the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, Cyprus, Ireland, and other European countries have been set on fire or vandalized. None of the conspiracy theorists realize that coronavirus is a virus, not a cellular wave. It’s wrong and irresponsible to blame 5G for the global COVID-19 outbreak.
In brabant is er vanacht weer een #5g mast in brand gestoken. pic.twitter.com/OKkgcybmwr
— Gele Hesjes NL (@GeLeHesjesNL) April 10, 2020
Tower providing connectivity to hospital vandalized
Government officials and telecom executives are trying hard to assure the public that there is no link between 5G and coronavirus. However, social media posts threatening to destroy cellular towers continue to surface. In the UK, a tower supplying cellular data and voice traffic to a Birmingham hospital treating COVID-19 patients was also vandalized.
Vodafone UK CEO Nick Jeffery said in a LinkedIn post that burning and vandalizing towers is a terrible thing, especially when phone and video calls are the only way for coronavirus patients to talk to their family and friends. COVID-19 patients cannot have their loved ones on the bedside while undergoing treatment.
Some coronavirus conspiracies even claim that the COVID-19 outbreak is a cover-up to keep the public distracted while deploying 5G networks. Dr. Jonathan Samet, dean of the Colorado School of Public Health, told the Associated Press that linking 5G to the COVID-19 pandemic is “just wrong.”
