False: The second wave of COVID-19 infections in India is linked to the testing of 5G mobile towers.

There is no scientific evidence linking the spread of the novel coronavirus to 5G technology. A conspiracy theory claiming that the second-wave of COVID-19 infections is linked to the testing of 5G mobile towers in the country has been doing the rounds on social media. This theory is baseless. On May 4, 2021, it was reported that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) cleared 5G trials allowing various companies to test out the new technology in India. 5G is the fifth generation of mobile network technology and runs on signals carried by radio waves. Conspiracy theories linking 5G and COVID-19 have gained traction since the pandemic began and have been debunked time and time again by experts across the globe. On May 10, DoT put out a press release stating that there is “no link between 5G technology and spread of COVID-19” and that “the claims linking the 5G technology with the COVID-19 pandemic are false and have no scientific basis”. Moreover, the DoT clarified that the “testing of the 5G network has not yet started anywhere in India” and emphasised that “the claim that 5G Trials or networks are causing coronavirus in India is baseless and false”. Furthermore, under the COVID-19 Myth Buster section on its website, the World Health Organization has stated that "Viruses cannot travel on radio waves/mobile networks." It added that "COVID-19 is spreading in many countries that do not have 5G mobile networks". On February 27, 2020, WHO clarified that no adverse health effect has been causally linked with exposure to wireless technologies and that radiofrequency exposure levels from current technologies result in negligible temperature rise in the human body. WHO explains that as the frequency increases, there is less penetration into the body tissues and absorption of the energy becomes more confined to the surface of the body (skin and eye). However, WHO has pointed out since the overall exposure remains below international guidelines, it does not anticipate consequences for public health. WHO has advised that COVID-19 is spread through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks. People can transmit the infection by touching a contaminated surface and their eyes, mouth, or nose. The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a lot of potentially dangerous misinformation. Please refer to the World Health Organisation or your national healthcare authority for reliable advice on COVID-19, including symptoms, prevention, and available treatment. The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a lot of potentially dangerous misinformation. For reliable advice on COVID-19 including symptoms, prevention and available treatment, please refer to the World Health Organisation or your national healthcare authority.