There’s a lot of confusion in the world right now, thanks to the coronavirus outbreak. In the middle of all the uncertainty, people look for answers anywhere they can find them. In some cases, this has led to a troubling spread of misinformation.
One of the most persistent pieces of misinformation is a conspiracy theory about 5G and coronavirus. The myth states that newly-erected 5G cell towers are contributing to the spread of COVID-19.
5G networks and the disease did emerge around the same time, so did 5G cause coronavirus?
No, absolutely not. Despite the lack of scientific evidence supporting the idea, many people have bought into it. People have even attacked 5G cell towers in a destructive response to the conspiracy. The argument, however baseless, is persistent, so here’s why it’s not true.
The conspiracy
The origins of the 5G conspiracy theory are cloudy. It likely doesn’t have a single source but is instead the product of parallel thinking from different anti-5G groups. Just as the speculations don’t share a common origin, there’s some variation between them.
There are two main versions of the theory floating around. The first states that 5G signals weaken immune systems, which makes people vulnerable to COVID-19. The second is that these signals themselves carry the virus, transmitting it to unsuspecting passersby.
It’s easy to see where these conspiracy theorists are coming from. Cell signals like 5G are a form of radiation, which is a scary word, conjuring images of Chernobyl. A basic understanding of how 5G and COVID-19 work, however, quickly dispels these myths.
What 5G does
What exactly is 5G? It’s a faster cellular network than its predecessors, using different radio waves, which is why it needs different towers. To achieve higher speeds and lower latencies, 5G uses higher frequencies, meaning more powerful radiation.
Despite being more powerful than 4G, 5G still poses no health risks. Cell signals are a type of non-ionizing radiation, which can heat surfaces but not much else. Visible light waves are more energetic, and thus more dangerous than radio waves like 5G.
The American Cancer Society found that radio waves cannot damage DNA in any capacity. They can’t even heat body tissue. 5G networks have enough energy to transmit digital signals, but not nearly enough to affect the human immune system.
If that weren’t enough evidence to counter the conspiracy theory, 5G signals don’t spread as far as others. 5G networks use beam-forming technology, which focuses cell signals to specific areas instead of spreading waves outward. This feature means that human exposure to 5G signals is even lower than older networks.
How COVID-19 spreads
Understanding 5G dispels any notion that these networks can weaken immune systems. Similarly, knowing how COVID-19 spreads disproves the other version of the theory. Radio waves from 5G towers can’t spread the virus because that’s not how viruses work.
Viruses are physical entities, not signals. Radio frequencies, on the other hand, are nothing more than energy waves. Viruses like COVID-19 use a protein shell to latch onto other biological entities. As such, they can’t attach themselves to radio waves.
COVID-19 is a respiratory disease, so it mostly travels through particles in the air. It can spread through things like saliva droplets, mucus and skin, but not radiation. Phones can carry the virus from contact with an infected surface, but they can’t get it from 5G.
One of the easiest ways to dispel this theory is to look at infection rates. Iran has experienced one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks despite having no 5G infrastructure. If the virus spread through 5G, then the nations with more 5G towers would have substantially higher infection rates.
Misinformation amid COVID-19
This kind of misinformation in the middle of a pandemic isn’t only bothersome, it’s dangerous. The 5G towers these conspiracy theorists are destroying could be helping medical staff. Communication is essential to contain and fight the virus, so turning on towers is counter-productive at best and destructive at worst.
It’s critical to stay informed during these confusing times. People who want to know more about the situation should turn to health authorities like the World Health Organization (WHO). There’s a lot that scientists don’t know yet, but they do know there’s no link between COVID-19 and 5G.