Scientists rubbish Chris Oyakhilome’s claims as they condemn conspiracy theory saying 5G causes Coronavirus
Pascal Oparada
On Saturday, April 4, the Nigerian social media space was awash with stories that a Nigerian Pastor, Chris Oyakhilome had suggested that the current Coronavirus pandemic is caused by the new 5G technology.
According to stories attributed to Oyakhilome, the Coronavirus pandemic is aimed at controlling the human race by planting chip through a vaccine controlled by the 5G technology.
Notable Nigerians like former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode and former Senator, Dino Melaye joined calls for the Nigerian government not to allow the technology into the country.
This sparked a frenzy in the country which led the ministry of communication to issue a statement saying the government has not issued any 5G license yet to any operator in the country.
But the scientific community has come out to condemn conspiracy theories claiming 5G technology helps transmit coronavirus.
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Videos have been shared on social media showing mobile phone masts on fire in Birmingham and Merseyside in the UK- along with the claims.
The posts have been shared on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram – including by verified accounts with hundreds of thousands of followers.
But scientists say the idea of a connection between Covid-19 and 5G is “complete rubbish” and biologically impossible.
The conspiracy theories have been branded “the worst kind of fake news” by NHS England Medical Director Stephen Powis.
Conspiracy theory
Many of those sharing the post are pushing a conspiracy theory falsely claiming that 5G – which is used in mobile phone networks and relies on signals carried by radio waves – is somehow responsible for coronavirus.
These theories appear to have first emerged via Facebook posts in late January, around the same time the first cases were recorded in the US.
They appear to fall broadly into two camps:
One claims 5G can suppress the immune system, thus making people more susceptible to catching the virus.
The other suggests the virus can somehow be transmitted through the use of 5G technology.
Both these notions are “complete rubbish,” says Dr Simon Clarke, associate professor in cellular microbiology at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom.
The idea that 5G lowers your immune system doesn’t stand up to scrutiny,” Dr Clarke says.
“Your immune system can be dipped by all sorts of things – by being tired one day, or not having a good diet. Those fluctuations aren’t huge but can make you more susceptible to catching viruses.
“Radio waves can disrupt your physiology as they heat you up, meaning your immune system can’t function. But 5G radio waves are tiny and they are nowhere near strong enough to affect the immune system. There have been lots of studies on this.”
It would also be impossible for 5G to transmit the virus, Adam Finn, professor of paediatrics at the University of Bristol, adds.
“The present epidemic is caused by a virus that is passed from one infected person to another. We know this is true. We even have the virus growing in our lab, obtained from a person with the illness. Viruses and electromagnetic waves that make mobile phones and internet connections work are different things. As different as chalk and cheese,” he says.
It’s also important to note another major flaw with the conspiracy theories – coronavirus is spreading in UK cities where 5G has yet to be deployed, and in countries like Iran that have yet to roll out the technology.
There were plenty of scare stories about 5G circulating before the coronavirus outbreak which Reality Check has already looked into, such as this piece: Does 5G pose health risks?
Earlier this year, a long-running study from the watchdog the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) rebutted these claims, saying there was no evidence that mobile networks cause cancer or other illnesses.
