When an event rocks the world, conspiracy theories are sure to emerge. The bigger the event, the more elaborate the theories. We’ve seen this time and time again, from JFK’s assassination, the moon landing, Princess Diana’s death and 9/11.
Now, conspiracy theories have a new love affair: the coronavirus. Scrolling online you’re sure to find at least a few ‘SHOCKING’, ‘EXPLOSIVE’ and ‘REVEALING’ stories, but is there any truth to them?
So, make yourself a tin-foil hat, and get cozy in your underground bunker…let’s take a closer look at some of the strangest coronavirus conspiracies around.
1.The 5G Theory
One of the most prevalent theories to emerge was the 5G theory. The theory is that the virus is actually being caused by radiation that is spread through wireless technology. It was based on the fact that Wuhan was one of the early testing grounds for the new technology.
This led to anti-5G protests taking place, harassment of telecom workers, and almost 90 acts of arson on 5G masts in the UK alone.
The World Health Organziation has been quick to clarify that 5G is harmless and has no link to COVID-19, pointing out the spread of coronavirus to countries without 5G.
This is because 5G waves are non-ionising, meaning, unlike X-Rays and Gamma Rays, they do not affect the DNA, making radiation sickness impossible.
2. The US Brought it to China
You may think that conspiracies are just spouted by strangers in pubs or ditzy aunts. But sometimes they come from high ranking government officials. This was the case with Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Liljian, who tweeted: “It’s possible that the US military brought the virus to Wuhan.”
The theory caught fire in China, with people speculating that US Millitary personnel brought it with them during the 2019 Military World Games.
However, none of the 300 US soldiers who were present in Wuhan tested positive for the virus.
Not only was this unfounded claim propagated in China’s corridor’s of power, but it was also labeled ‘The USA Virus’. This led Donald Trump to refer to it time and again as ‘The Chinese Virus’ in retaliation.
3. Bill Gates is to Blame
A truly odd conspiracy. As the coronavirus ravaged the world, a 2015 clip of Bill Gates resurfaced and went viral. The reason? It was a TED talk titled ‘The Next Outbreak? We’re Not Ready’. In it, Gates explained how the world is woefully unprepared for a potential viral epidemic.
Most would simply think it proves how perceptive Gates is, and leave at that. Others, however, went a step further. They claimed that Bill Gates was the one who unleashed the coronavirus, in a radical step to shake the world into preparation.
Another shockingly prescient theory claims that Gates wants to use ta COVID vaccine to inject microchips into people. As many as a quarter of the US population believe this, despite the only evidence being an oddly Prophetic youtube clip.
4. The Pope used a Hologram
The Pope is getting up there in age ( 83 years young). Like all elderly, he’s far more vulnerable to the effects of the virus and has to take extra measures to be safe. But could these measures really stretch to a life-size hologram double?
A video went viral in April, taken from news footage of the Pope waving the onlookers from a balcony. As the pope retreated back into the room, he seemed to instantly disappear. This flummoxed the internet, leading to a theory that the Pope has a special hologram made to be used for such appearances to keep him safe from the virus.
However fun it might be to believe, it was very quickly proven to be an editing glitch when footage from a different angle appeared, without the vanishing act.
5. Boomer Killer
If you’re over 65 and feel that ageism is a problem, this theory might hit you where it hurts. The theory claims that the Coronavius is a man-made biological weapon designed to kill off the elderly. This, the theory claims, was a rather brutal step by the Chinese government to help decrease the population ( which, admittedly, is a rather crowded 1.3 Billion). However, the notion that the virus was created in a lab has been utterly debunked by scientists. So don’t worry, Boomers…it aint personal.
6. The Hawk Swoops In
At the start of the Coronavirus pandemic in Malta, one resident, going by the name of William Hawk, began trying to profit by circulating unfounded conspiracies about the virus itself. Hawk ( real name llya Vladymirovich Tretyak) started the group ‘CoronaVirus Malta EU – Updates’, where he raised alarm by touting some frankly unbelievable statistics. For example, Hawk claimed that the WHO’s figures could not be trusted and that the actual death rate for the virus was a whopping 45% (in reality, scientists estimate a death rate no higher than 1%). Hawk reportedly tried to sell masks at extremely high prices (160 euros for a pack of 5, according to MaltaToday). For some people, a pandemic is just another opportunity.
