Experts at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) say there is no scientific proof that 5G causes diseases or plays a role in the spread of COVID-19.
They briefed the media on 5G technology standards and opportunities for industrialisation, as well as growing concerns raised by social media regarding 5G and human health.
5G is the fifth generation technology standard for broadband cellular networks, which cellphone companies began deploying worldwide in 2019. It provide connectivity to most current cellphones.
CSIR Senior Researcher Dr Essa Suleman says, “With regards to 5G and COVID-19 there are several conspiracy theories with regards to 5G weakening immune system of the person thus resulting in COVID-19 infections. 5G causes the virus itself. 5G rollout led to the spread of the virus globally. 5G causes the virus to mutate and that 5G will be used in vaccines to spy on citizens. All of the conspiracy theories related to COVID -19 and 5G are false and there is no evidence to support these claims.”
The Council says their research shows that all the theories about 5G and COVID-19 are false and should be rejected in the strongest term until there’s solid evidence to support the conspiracy theories.
This after several reports alleged that 5G technologies cause several health effects, including the spread and mutation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Join today’s #CSIR media briefing to unpack #5G technology opportunities and concerns raised regarding human health and #COVID19 via livestream at 13:00. https://t.co/1xEDbz56ag
— CSIR ?? (@CSIR) February 8, 2021
Health effects
However, Dr Suleman says as much as there is no evidence that 5G contributes to other diseases, further research is required regarding 5G and cancer disease.
“There is no correlation between 5G and certain supposed health effects, skin effects, male fertility and electromagnetic hypersensitivity. Real-world laboratory condition does not provide strong evidence to support the alleged health effects and just to be cautious I think further research is required on possible effects of 5G on diseases such as cancer.”
Meanwhile, CSIR Chief Researcher Dr Fisseha Mekura says the 5G technology is useful in many other ways.
“Why do we need technology? The technology standard is to improve the quality of life of the population, to make safer cities, to build public services that can safely be applied to the population and the security of the nations – theses are very important in this aspect. And we will have to use efficiently the resources that we have. The resources that we have been allocated.”
This briefing comes just after South Africa has suspended the rollout of AstraZeneca vaccines because their efficacy has been found to be only 22%.
