5 Covid-19 Conspiracy Theories
to keep you company during circuit breaker period.
Ah, the world of conspiracy theories. Everyone loves a good conspiracy theory, especially now that we are all locked up at home with little left to entertain us. Theories about humans faking the moon landing or flat-earthers insisting that Earth is shaped like a disc is so 2019. Now, everyone wants to know about Covid-19 – how it really came about, who created it, and whether it even exists to begin with!
From theories about Covid-19 being created by the US Military to Bill Gates being the real culprit behind the pandemic, here are 5 crazy conspiracy to entertain you during your time at home.
1. Bill Gates created Covid-19
You may have seen the 2015 Bill Gates TED Talk titled, “The next outbreak? We’re not ready”. During the talk, Bill Gates examined the Ebola outbreak and highlighted factors that prevented the disease from spreading worldwide. He also warned about the possibility of a more contagious, worldwide pandemic. You’d think that after this, Bill Gates would be the last person of earth to be blamed for the Coronavirus. After all, he’s been warning us for almost a decade about the potential outbreak. Well, you’re wrong. Now that Covid-19 is actually here, people on social media have accused Gates of starting the virus to profit from a vaccine which he apparently owns the rights to. The claim sounds ridiculous, since the patent he owns is for a completely different coronavirus. But according to conspiracy theorists - well, potato-potatoh.
2. 5G radiation is the real cause of Covid-19
Is it just a coincidence that the world’s first 5G-masts were in China, and that the Coronavirus emerged from China? Conspiracy theorists say NO. According to some people, 5G radiation is the real cause of Covid-19, and it lowers our immune response to the virus. Others claim that 5G networks facilitate the spread of the virus. Even well-known public figures such as actor Woody Harrelson and singer Keri Hilson have backed the theory on social media, further fuelling the idea that 5G networks caused the Coronavirus. Of course, there isn’t any logical evidence to support this theory, but fears of 5G networks as governmental ‘surveillance-tools’ have been prevalent even before the outbreak. Is 5G just a big scheme so government institutions can have total control over our lives? It seems unlikely, but according to the internet, we should all probably stay away from 5G towers.
3. Disney and Tangled released Covid-19
This may just be another coincidence, but many conspiracy buffs are convinced that Disney released Covid-19 conveniently before launching their own streaming service, Disney Plus. Some Disney fans also believe that the movie Tangled predicted the Coronavirus through its plot line that is suspiciously similar to the current pandemic. In the movie, Rapunzel seems to have some good tips on how to survive self-isolation, such as cooking, cleaning, and painting. Also, the town she was hiding from was called – wait for it – Corona! #conspiracyconfirmed
4. The US Military imported Covid-19 into China
Now this high-profile conspiracy theory actually made headlines in major news outlets and even got the attention of US president Donald Trump. In March, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian hinted at the idea that the US military was responsible for bringing the virus into Wuhan during the 2019 Military World Games. Of course, the US was quick to reject this claim.
5. Covid-19 doesn’t exist
Perhaps Covid-19 is just like global warming to conspiracy theorists – a plot by world politicians and elites to take away our freedom. This theory is backed by the notion that the novel Coronavirus is “no worse than the flu” and that Covid-19 is just an elaborate scheme to keep us in our homes. This may seem like a bunch of hogwash, but the theory has been prevalent enough in influencing anti-lockdown protests across the US and believers refusing to abide by social distancing measures.