- Sheikh Nissar
The global corona virus pandemic is spreading rapidly and the death toll is still mounting. With almost entire population home bound, with an aim to break the transmission chain and contain virus but the impact of virus is likely to be deep and far-reaching. From slum dwellers of India to the edifices of Saudi Royals, the latent voyage of unbiased virus left no strata of society unattended. The pandemic brought in death and economic disaster with loss of jobs and unemployment. On one hand, doctors are fighting on frontline to contain virus and on the other hand, economists are demystifying the economic slump post pandemic era. In this situation of struggle between life and the death, the conspiracy theories evolved, gained air and then collapsed. Researchers debunked conspiracies related to SARS-CoV-2 with scientific evidences.
The virus broke out in Wuhan, Hubei Province of China at the end of year 2019. A cluster of pneumonia cases of unknown aetiology were reported from Wuhan city. Within few weeks, the fatalities increased at an unprecedented rate. On 9 January 2020, China reported a novel corona virus as the causative agent of this outbreak, corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Though, the president Trump had changed his attitude towards the pandemic, initially Trump administration began to brand outbreak a ‘Chinese Virus’. On 11 March 2020, the outbreak was declared global pandemic by world health organization.
The clash of narratives began with the onset of virus outside China. Americans alleged China of concealing outbreak for their economic gains. In a counter attack, Beijing alleged American army of preparing a lab virus for biological warfare and secretly dropped virus in Wuhan. In this context, the two theories have been widely aired because the only bio-weapon lab of China is in Wuhan. One, that the corona virus pandemic may have been the result of an accident at a bio-safety level four laboratory in China’s Wuhan city. Second, China deliberately launched a biological attack in order to position itself as the single greatest superpower, while flattening its rivals’ industrial and economic capacity. The advocates of these two theories argue ‘China was in hunt for a chance and covid-19 outbreak provided.’ Coincidence or mystery, an accidental out break or biological war, both the arguments gained support when social media platforms circulated passage from 1981 novel “The Eyes of Darkness” by Dean Koontz which predicted corona like virus outbreak in Wuhan city. The photograph of the page of book went viral and became base for another conspiracy; the description of outbreak extraordinarily matched with covid-19 pandemic. Beijing took advantage of the fiction and began to spread the same, to lid the rising voices. The writer named the virus as Wuhan-400 calling the Chinese city its epicenter. Almost two decades later, Wuhan in fact played that role. In fact, the argument is vague in its nature, netizens couldn’t help but freak out because the resemblance was uncanny and the evidence was hard to dismiss.
All the above three conspiracy theories swirling around corona virus are vague arguments in the eyes of experts. The analysis of public genome sequence data from SARS-CoV-2 and related viruses found no evidence that the virus was made in a laboratory or otherwise engineered. In fact, scientific studies debunk all the theories by exploring real make up of the virus and compared it with its cousins from the corona virus family. So, the theories calling SARS-CoV-2 a bio-weapon are false arguments in the eyes of researchers.
Let us have a quick overview of the disease. The SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) broke out in 2002 resulted in more than 8000 cases and 800 deaths. SARS was eventually contained by means of syondromic surveillance, prompt isolation of patients, strict enforcement of quarantine of all contacts and social distancing. By interrupting all human-to-human transmissions, SARS was effectively eradicated. The laboratory in Wuhan is the result of a collaborative effort with France, after the first SARS outbreak of 2002. The lab is one of 20 such facilities under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, but is the only one dealing with virology. Fully compliant with ISO standards, the Wuhan facility interacts regularly with a host of outside experts. Like other labs, its aim is to protect populations against new viruses. But the trouble is the blurry line between defensive and offensive study, which lies at the heart of biological research and warfare. Because of it first emerged in China doesn’t make it Chinese.
Man is curious. His curiosity doesn’t let him sit idle. 5G technology is newest invention. When you know 5G is the fifth generation of mobile broad band that will provide faster download and upload speed, then linking it with pandemic outbreak isn’t good idea. 5G Virus Conspiracy Theory linked 5G technologies with virus outbreak. It gained quick momentum, with celebrities promoting the idea. Rumors gained steam when Keri Hilson, popular American singer, with 4.2 million followers on Twitter, sent out tweets last week about the alleged connection between 5G and COVID-19, writing, “People have been trying to warn us about 5G for years. Petitions, organizations, studies… what we’re going through are the effects of radiation. 5G was launched in China on Nov 1, 2019. People dropped dead.” The claimants argue ‘5G can suppress immune system, thus making people susceptible to catching the virus.’ The other claimants believe 5G can transmit virus. Even some claimants present corona virus a hoax. In their opinion, it is 5G radiation that is causing covid-19 symptoms.
Dr Simon Clarke, associate professor in cellular microbiology at the University of Reading says, ‘all these notions are complete rubbish.” In his opinion, the idea that 5G lowers your immune system doesn’t stand scrutiny. Despite lack of evidence and logic, these conspiracy theories are circulated on social media. 5G network technology existed before first case of covid-19 was reported in November 2019.
Similarly, some theories claim ‘it is nature’s way of retribution.’ Is it nature’s revenge of our cruel neglect of planet earth? Is nature striking back at disastrous human exploitation of natural resources? Though the pandemic sweeping across the world is a crisis of our own making, yet I don’t believe it is nature’s revenge but I accept it as a nature’s message. Nature is healing due to lock down and we are part of nature. It is nature’s response not revenge.
The lack evidences make all the conspiracy theories null. Researchers’ genetic analysis found the virus was not a combination of other human viruses, as would be expected if humans had engineered it. Instead, SARS-CoV-2 shows unique genetic features, some of which have only been identified in corona viruses that infect pangolins, confirming it came from nature. Therefore, those theories who claim the virus is a bio-weapon are false. Similarly, anti-5G theories fall short of evidences. Therefore, we can say, ‘all the conspiracy theories are mere rumors.’
