The U.S. military has not confirmed 5G causes COVID-19

By: Pallavi Sethi
May 4 2023

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Context

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, misinformation has inundated all corners of the internet, including social media, messaging channels, and fringe websites. One enduring narrative states that 5G, the mobile network technology, causes COVID-19. Despite overwhelming scientific evidence refuting this claim, some social media accounts continue to promote this falsehood. A video uploaded by a Facebook user on April 29 claims, "The military now confirms that COVID is related to 5G." The video has received over 2,000 views and 740 shares since it was uploaded.

In Fact

The video begins with interviewee Colonel Andrew Huff describing acute radiation sickness, the symptoms he states "would be just exactly like a terrible flu." Linking the footage to COVID-19, the Facebook video uses ominous music, and the voice-over says this "radiation" gives people "extreme fatigue, long covid, headaches and so much more." The footage featuring Colonel Huff is unrelated to COVID-19. Logically Facts found that the original video is associated with the radiation leaks from the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 when a significant earthquake and tsunami hit Japan. Following the event, more than a hundred thousand people were evacuated. However, the country did not report any deaths or cases of radiation sickness from the accident. Voice of America (VOA) published a video on March 25, 2011, covering a potential drug that could "prevent and repair human cell damage" from radiation exposure. Speaking to VOA, Huff explains that scientists on behalf of the Pentagon were looking for a "more effective antidote to radiation sickness."

The Facebook video is misleading as it uses Huff's statements on radiation sickness to suggest 5G causes COVID-19. At no point has the U.S. military ever confirmed that 5G causes COVID-19. 5G is a wireless network technology that promises high speed with minimal delays in receiving a high volume of data messages. Scientific experts, including the World Health Organization, have repeatedly denied any link between COVID-19 and 5G networks. The official WHO website states, "To date, and after much research performed, no adverse health effect has been casually linked with exposure to wireless technologies."

The Verdict

The U.S. military has not confirmed that the 5G network causes COVID-19. The footage in question relates to comments about radiation sickness in the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011. We have therefore marked this claim as false.