UK cell towers set on fire over 5G Covid-19 conspiracy theories

[midian182]

Facepalm: The internet is awash with conspiracy theories, one of which claims that 5G cell towers caused the Covid-19 outbreak. While most people would just laugh this off, it’s gaining traction online and has been endorsed by some celebrities. In the UK, the claims have led to 5G masts being set on fire.

False claims that the next-generation networks are in some way responsible for the global pandemic have been spreading on social media for months now. They claim that Covid-19 began in Wuhan because the city started rolling out 5G and spread to other cities using the technology.

A slew of YouTube videos, Change.org petitions, and promotion by celebrities, including Woody Harrelson, have fanned the flames. In the UK, at least seven cellular towers, one of which wasn't even a 5G mast, were set alight last week. The attacks are being investigated as arson, and are likely linked to the 5G-coronavirus theory.

 

 

 

 

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Alot of my friends have been talking about the negative effects of 5G My friend camilla seems this to me today and though I haven’t fully vetted it I find it very interesting

A post shared by Woody Harrelson (@woodyharrelson) on Apr 1, 2020 at 11:05am PDT

"We have received several reports of criminal damage to phone masts and abuse of telecoms engineers apparently inspired by crackpot conspiracy theories circulating online," said a spokeswoman for the UK's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

The claims that there could be a relationship between 5G and Covid-19 are, of course, false. Allegations that 5G can suppress the immune system or transmit the virus have been called biologically impossible by scientists, but a lot of people are easily convinced by slick YouTube videos.

The BBC reports that the UK’s culture secretary has ordered social media companies to clamp down on the 5G conspiracy theories and plans to hold meetings with representatives from the firms this week. Facebook has already said it’s removed groups encouraging attacks on 5G masts, and YouTube, which has long been accused of being soft on conspiracy videos, says it has reduced recommendations of “borderline content such as conspiracy theories related to 5G and coronavirus, that could misinform users in harmful ways.”

Image credit: KPhrom via Shutterstock

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https://www.techspot.com/news/84703-uk-cell-towers-set-fire-over-5g-covid.html

 

[Burty117]

And this is why the UK has lost it's way. Too many stup*d people. Sometimes, I do wonder if moving abroad would be a wise move...

 

[captaincranky]

And this is why the UK has lost it's way. Too many stup*d people. Sometimes, I do wonder if moving abroad would be a wise move...

Yeah well, you shouldn't even consider moving over here to "the colonies". Trust me, stupidity is rampant, abundant, pervasive, and accepted as the norm.

Then there's the hip-hop. I have to buy music from the European symphonic metal bands, along with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, Blackmore's Night, and Loreena McKennitt, just to find something I can make sense of.

Here's my current and most favorite piece of "hominid repellent":

PS: Rush's "2112" will do in a pinch.

 

[Cycloid Torus]

Fear mongering Russians at it again.

 

[HyPeroxya]

I blame Greta, in combo with Bill Gates .(JOKE)
The decrease in pollution will be studied for years , and hopefully will be a more permanent aspect of this crisis.
DAy 14 with no broadband access, thanks PLUSnet.

 

[kira setsu]

It wont be the coronavirus that harms us the most it'll be social media unleashing its torrents of *****s that'll get us.

 

[Uncle Al]

Awwww man, so much controversy over a simple data roast .....

 

[Lionvibez]

I blame Greta, in combo with Bill Gates .(JOKE)
The decrease in pollution will be studied for years , and hopefully will be a more permanent aspect of this crisis.
DAy 14 with no broadband access, thanks PLUSnet.

While having the world shutdown for month has been bad for the economy, its been a big plus for the environment. So maybe this is something they need to considered for the future.

 

[mbrowne5061]

Fear mongering Russians at it again.

I've got more money on it being China; they keep losing or getting shut out of 5G contracts and active denial of resources is definitely in their MO. "If we can't have it, no one can"

 

[gamerk2]

And this is why the UK has lost it's way. Too many stup*d people. Sometimes, I do wonder if moving abroad would be a wise move...

And this is why some of us view the internet as the greatest evil ever created; it gives these morons equal voices to everyone else, which allows *****ic views to proliferate.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

People are extremely stupid.

Blaming health issues caused by a virus on Covid 19?

You can literally "See" Covid 19 virus particles under microscope.

Radio Waves do NOT cause people to die of respiratory failure.

 

[kamisama]

"Endorsed by some celebrities"

Like Woody Harrelson is a frickin' reference ... he hasn't lost the plot, he never had it.

 

[PEnnn]

As if we need more proof that human stupidity is rampant, even in 2020!

The anti-science crowd, the Flat Earthers, the Anti-Vaxxers and now the 5G *****s.......and we thought there is hope for humanity!

 

[captaincranky]

"Endorsed by some celebrities"

Like Woody Harrelson is a frickin' reference ... he hasn't lost the plot, he never had it.

He did, after all, get his big break on "Cheers", where he was cast as a borderline imbecile

 

[cliffordcooley]

The anti-science crowd, the Flat Earthers, the Anti-Vaxxers and now the 5G *****s.......and we thought there is hope for humanity!

Funny thing about being an anti-vaxxer. I'm not the one with health issues.

 

[captaincranky]

As if we need more proof that human stupidity is rampant, even in 2020!

The anti-science crowd, the Flat Earthers, the Anti-Vaxxers and now the 5G *****s.......and we thought there is hope for humanity!

Well, even if 5G service is ostensibly responsible, why aren't these fools hiding under their beds wearing tinfoil hats, and using telephone landlines?

 

[PEnnn]

Funny thing about being an anti-vaxxer. I'm not the one with health issues.

Actually, COVID19 is a perfect demo of a world without vaccines!!

 

[captaincranky]

Actually, COVID19 is a perfect demo of a world without vaccines!!

Should this turn into a seasonal virus, (like influenza), a vaccine will not only be necessary, but imperative.

 

[cliffordcooley]

Should this turn into a seasonal virus, (like influenza), a vaccine will not only be necessary, but imperative.

It was released once, I see no reason to assume it will not be released again. And since we can not learn our lesson in containment. Sure force the whole world into taking some engineered fix that is likely more harmful in the long run.

 

[wiyosaya]

It was released once, I see no reason to assume it will not be released again. And since we can not learn our lesson in containment. Sure force the whole world into taking some engineered fix that is likely more harmful in the long run.

I am one of those who is somewhat anti-vax; however, I have a legitimate reason: Every, literally every time I get a flu shot, I have an adverse reaction. The last time, a few years ago, I got a flu shot and literally when into an episode of severe shaking chills. Yet my "doctor" insists that I need the flu show each year - even though I never get the flu.

As I see it, COVID-19 is too new with very little hard knowledge about it. If it does become seasonal, will it mutate? Can it mutate? And if it mutates, will a vaccine become just another crap shoot like the flu shot?

I'll be exceptionally skeptical about any vaccine developed for it.

But then again, there is $$$ to be made in them thar vaccines.

 

[gamerk2]

I am one of those who is somewhat anti-vax; however, I have a legitimate reason: Every, literally every time I get a flu shot, I have an adverse reaction. The last time, a few years ago, I got a flu shot and literally when into an episode of severe shaking chills. Yet my "doctor" insists that I need the flu show each year - even though I never get the flu.

As I see it, COVID-19 is too new with very little hard knowledge about it. If it does become seasonal, will it mutate? Can it mutate? And if it mutates, will a vaccine become just another crap shoot like the flu shot?

I'll be exceptionally skeptical about any vaccine developed for it.

But then again, there is $$$ to be made in them thar vaccines.

Reactions to the flu vaccine are rare, but do occur in about 2% of the population. That's a legitimate reason to not get one, but it's something you should consult with your MD about; it's likely your allergic to one of the vaccines components.

COVID-19 seems to be similar in nature to other respiratory ailments, and thus far none of the major ones have vaccines that are effective. As a result, I'm not holding out hope for a magic cure all, at least for half a decade or so. The real question is the mutation rate, and whether it's spread enough to be a yearly thing.

In regards to the money vaccines make...not so much. In fact, money is LOST on vaccines, to the point the government has to reimburse companies in order to get them to produce vaccines in the first place.

 

[mbrowne5061]

He did, after all, get his big break on "Cheers", where he was cast as a borderline imbecile

Are we really sure it was acting at this point?

 

[mbrowne5061]

Reactions to the flu vaccine are rare, but do occur in about 2% of the population. That's a legitimate reason to not get one, but it's something you should consult with your MD about; it's likely your allergic to one of the vaccines components.

COVID-19 seems to be similar in nature to other respiratory ailments, and thus far none of the major ones have vaccines that are effective. As a result, I'm not holding out hope for a magic cure all, at least for half a decade or so. The real question is the mutation rate, and whether it's spread enough to be a yearly thing.

In regards to the money vaccines make...not so much. In fact, money is LOST on vaccines, to the point the government has to reimburse companies in order to get them to produce vaccines in the first place.

The good/bad news is that this virus seems to be pretty stable.

That is good news in that we don't need to worry about it mutating into something worse. That is bad news in that when a virus mutates, the evolutionary pressure on viruses tends to make them less deadly and more contagious - less deadly being obviously good, but more contagious is subtly good in that each new host encourages more mutations, so:

Mutation -> less deadly, more contagious -> faster spread, faster mutation -> even less deadly, even more contagious -> etc.

Obviously, this is a very simplified example, but it explains why something that mutates isn't necessarily a bad thing. Its the reason why epidemiologists are trying to track down and contain new viral strains, and not trying to keep an eye on rabbies from turning us all into zombies.

Unfortunately, more specifically to the case of this virus, corona viruses like SARS and MERS tend to only grant temporary and mild immunity to the people who catch it and recover from it. There have already been some reports of people being re-infected, but we are only 3.5 months in, so it may take some time to pin down what the risk of re-infection actually is. But it may actually result in COVID19 being seasonal until a vaccine is developed.

 

[captaincranky]

Are we really sure it was acting at this point?

Much in the same way SNL's cast was always touted as, "the not ready for prime time players", Mr. Harrelrson may have been, "type cast", from the jump. (Pun on the film, "White Men Can't Jump", intended).

For example, a casting director for a beach movie, wouldn't cast John Wayne in a part designed for Ann Margaret in a beach movie. <(Yes, I'm showing my age with that analogy).

Those things said, Mr. Harrelson is and animal rights and environmental activist. People of this persuasion tend to pivot toward extremism and hysteria in a heartbeat.

His bio indicates he is a college graduate, (or at least that he attended Hanover College),. However, after seeing him in cheers so faithfully recreate the part of a mentally addled individual, I'm reluctant to perceive him as anything else.

 

[wiyosaya]

Reactions to the flu vaccine are rare, but do occur in about 2% of the population. That's a legitimate reason to not get one, but it's something you should consult with your MD about; it's likely your allergic to one of the vaccines components.

Yeah, heard that before. RN: "That sounds like an allergic reaction. You should be tested for allergies."

Uh, NO. Why? I never get the flu, so why should I get the flu shot, let alone subject myself to a battery of allergy tests just so I can get the flu shot that I don't need.

My MD has NEVER even suggested that I get tested for allergies to the components flu shot. However, like I said, its pointless because I never get the flu.

Honestly, experiences like this, including doctors telling me that I was crazy because I told them that I get the flu from the flu shot (which, BTW, flu symptoms ARE symptoms of an adverse reaction to the flu shot - though two doctors are apparently too stupid to know this) are what turns me away from medicine.

Whether or not they make money on vaccines is only part of my beef with current medicine. That a doctor cannot take the time to see if flu symptoms are symptoms of an adverse reaction to the flu shot before implying a patient is nuts is, in itself, nuts.

Most medical practices these days are run to maximize profit. When $$$ has become more important than listening to patients and ridiculing them when they are actually right, there is something very wrong, IMO, with "medicine" these days.

The thing is, medicine is a practice, and a practice implies that mistakes are there waiting to be made.