5G networks spread COVID-19

5G networks spread COVID-19
	FALSE
	"Fifth-generation (5G) mobile networks caused or spread COVID-19, either by transmitting the virus through radio waves or by weakening people's immune systems so they became infected."
Domain	Technology & Media
Tactic	Conspiracy Theory; Pseudoscience / Junk Science;
Era	Current
First seen	2020
Origin	Social media posts and videos in January 2020, building on older fears about mobile phone radiation
Last reviewed	2026-10-26
	Further reading: books on Technology & Media

The claim that 5G networks spread COVID-19 was one of the most widespread and damaging conspiracy theories of the pandemic. It held that the new generation of mobile phone networks either caused the disease, transmitted the virus or suppressed immunity so the virus could take hold. The claim is false. Viruses cannot travel on radio waves, the radio frequencies used by 5G do not damage the immune system at the exposure levels permitted, and COVID-19 spread widely in places with no 5G coverage at all. The theory nonetheless led to dozens of arson attacks on mobile phone masts in Britain and elsewhere, and to harassment of telecommunications workers during the pandemic.

The claim

The theory took several forms. One version claimed that the virus was a cover story, and that the symptoms attributed to COVID-19 were actually radiation sickness caused by 5G. Another claimed that 5G radio waves weakened the immune system, making people vulnerable to infection. A third claimed that the virus itself was somehow transmitted by 5G signals. Supporters pointed out that Wuhan, where the outbreak was first identified, had recently introduced 5G service, and that cities with 5G seemed to have more cases.

Origin

Fears about health effects from mobile phone signals and other radio-frequency radiation long predate the pandemic, and campaigns against 5G were already active in 2019. In January 2020, as news of the outbreak in Wuhan spread, a Belgian doctor gave an interview to a Belgian newspaper suggesting a link between 5G and the virus. The newspaper removed the article after criticism, but the claim spread rapidly on social media.

By March and April 2020, as lockdowns began in Europe and North America, the theory spread widely through Facebook groups, YouTube videos and messaging apps. It was amplified by some celebrities with large followings and by well-known conspiracy theorists. Platforms began removing content linking 5G to COVID-19 in April 2020.

What the evidence shows

The claim is contradicted by basic biology and physics, and by the pattern of the pandemic.

Viruses are physical particles. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is a biological particle that spreads between people mainly through respiratory droplets and aerosols. Radio waves are electromagnetic radiation and cannot carry viruses.
Radio waves at these frequencies are non-ionizing. 5G uses radio frequencies similar to, or somewhat higher than, earlier mobile networks, Wi-Fi and broadcast signals. Non-ionizing radiation at the levels permitted by international exposure guidelines does not have enough energy to damage DNA or cells. The main established effect at high intensities is slight heating, and permitted exposure levels are set far below the point at which that becomes significant. The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection reviewed the evidence and updated its guidelines in 2020; it found no evidence that 5G at permitted levels causes harm.
No link to immunity. There is no scientific evidence that radio-frequency exposure at permitted levels suppresses the immune system.
The geography does not fit. COVID-19 spread rapidly in countries with little or no 5G infrastructure, including Iran, which was among the worst-hit countries early in the pandemic, and on cruise ships. The apparent correlation between 5G and COVID-19 reflected the fact that both are concentrated in large, densely populated cities, where viruses spread easily and where telecom companies roll out new networks first.
The virus has been isolated and sequenced. Scientists isolated SARS-CoV-2, sequenced its genome and tracked its mutations across the world, which would be impossible if the disease were caused by radiation.

The World Health Organization, national health agencies and telecommunications regulators all issued statements rejecting the claim.

Consequences

The theory had real-world consequences. In April and May 2020, dozens of mobile phone masts were set on fire in the United Kingdom, including some that did not carry 5G equipment, and similar attacks were reported in the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium and elsewhere. Telecommunications engineers reported being abused and threatened while working. The attacks came at a time when people depended heavily on mobile networks for work, schooling, medical care and contact with family. Some masts that were damaged supported emergency services.

Why it persists

The 5G theory combined several elements that help conspiracy theories spread:

Coincidence in time. 5G was being rolled out in many countries at the same time as the pandemic began, making the two seem connected.
Invisible threats. Both radio waves and viruses are invisible, which makes them easy targets for fear.
Distrust of technology companies and governments. People who already distrusted large companies and authorities were primed to believe they were hiding something.
A sense of control. A visible enemy, such as a phone mast, can feel easier to confront than a microscopic virus.
Correlation mistaken for causation. Maps showing 5G and COVID-19 cases in the same cities seemed persuasive but reflected population density.

Lessons for readers

Correlation is not causation. Ask whether a third factor, such as population density, explains both things.
Check whether the proposed mechanism is physically possible. Radio waves cannot carry viruses.
Look for counterexamples. If a theory is true, it should hold in places where the supposed cause is absent.
Be wary of claims that offer a simple, visible villain for a complex problem.
Misinformation can lead to real harm, including violence against people and infrastructure.

Sources

World Health Organization, "Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public: Mythbusters" (2020).
International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, "Guidelines for Limiting Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (100 kHz to 300 GHz)," Health Physics 118, no. 5 (2020).
Wasim Ahmed et al., "COVID-19 and the 5G Conspiracy Theory: Social Network Analysis of Twitter Data," Journal of Medical Internet Research 22, no. 5 (2020).
Full Fact, reporting on 5G and coronavirus claims (2020).
Reporting on phone mast arson attacks in the United Kingdom, April–May 2020 (multiple outlets).