5G trials not responsible for Covid-19 surge: DoT

The Department of Telecom (DoT) has dispelled rumours doing rounds on various social media platforms that 5G trials are responsible for the recent surge of Covid-19 cases in the country.

These messages are false, absolutely not correct and have no scientific basis, the DoT said in a statement on Monday.

"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," the statement said.

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"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 said.

"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. Department of Telecommunications (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 DoT said.

CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE ONLY ON DH

Uttar Pradesh Police had earlier directed all commissioners, DIGs and superintendents of police to initiate action against those spreading rumours that Covid-19 infection spreads through 5G trials. Several people posted on social media that the 5G towers were closed and uprooted in villages in Uttar Pradesh.