No link between 5G technology and surge in Covid cases in India: Govt debunks rumours

A message claiming that the 5G testing is the reason behind the sudden surge in coronavirus cases in the country has been doing the rounds.

Issuing a statement, the Department of Telecommunications of the Ministry of Communications has said: “It has come to the notice of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications that several misleading messages are being circulated on various social media platforms claiming that the second wave of coronavirus has been caused by the testing of the 5G mobile towers.”

These messages are false and absolutely not correct, the DoT said. It also added, “The general public is hereby informed that there is no link between 5G technology and spread of Covid-19 and they are urged not to be misguided by the false information and rumours spread in this matter.”

Message blaming 5G trials behind spread in Covid cases is fake

The claims linking the 5G technology with the Covid-19 pandemic are false and have no scientific basis. Moreover, it is informed that the testing of the 5G network has not yet started anywhere in India. Hence, the claim that 5G Trials or networks are causing coronavirus in India is baseless and false, the DoT stated.

Earlier, the Press Information Bureau Fact Check team had shared the audio message on its official Twitter handle.

“In an audio message, it is being claimed that 5g network is being tested in the states, due to which people are dying. This claim is fake. Please do not spread confusion by sharing such fake messages,” PIB tweeted.

Mobile towers emit non-ionizing Radio frequencies having very minuscule power and are incapable of causing any kind of damage to living cells including human beings. DoT has prescribed norms for exposure limit for the Radio Frequency Field (i.e. Base Station Emissions) which are 10 times more stringent than the safe limits prescribed by International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and recommended by WHO, the statement said.

Initiatives taken by DoT:

DoT has a well-structured process so that TSPs strictly adhere to these prescribed norms. However, any citizen having any apprehension about any mobile tower emitting radio waves beyond the safe limit prescribed by the department, a request for EMF measurements/testing can be made on Tarang Sanchar portal at https://tarangsanchar.gov.in/emfportal .

To allay the fear of the general public regarding the health effects of EMF emission from mobile tower, DoT has been taking several steps to generate awareness among the public about EMF radiation such as Nation-wide Awareness Programme, distribution of pamphlets/ information brochure on various topics related to EMF, publishing detailed information on EMF related issues on the website of DoT, advertisements in newspapers, the launch of “Tarang Sanchar” portal, etc.

The field units of DoT have also been organizing public awareness events so that more and more people are made aware of the scientific facts on the health effects of EMF emissions from mobile towers.