SAMSON BENJAMIN in this report examines the controversy over the health implications of the newly introduced fifth-generation network (5G) against the backdrop of the rampaging coronavirus.
Palpable fear gripped Nigerians recently, when unverified news on the various social media platforms purportedly linked 5G network with the coronavirus pandemic. It was alleged that the coronavirus that has infected close to two million people and killed over 120,000 people globally, including Nigeria, as at Wednesday, April 14, was triggered by the switching on of 5G network in China.
The fear was further heightened among Nigerians, when the peddlers of the unverified information further alleged that the two-week sit-at-home order earlier given by the federal government from March 30 to April 13, to curb the spread of the virus, was a deliberate attempt by government to enable telecoms operators in Nigeria to complete the installation of their 5G networks across the country.
The technology
5G is a fifth-generation of mobile technology, which is an improvement of today’s 4G technology with enhanced capabilities. 5G technology provides the platform for new and emerging technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data to improve the way people live and work.
Explaining the evolution of 5G in a chat with Blueprint Weekend, an information technology expert, Akin Taiwo, traced 5G network to the invention of 1G in 1980.
He said, “Advancements in technologies are continuous. Ever since the invention of the mobile/wireless communication technology, it has continued to evolve from one generation to another: from 1G to 2G, 3G, 4G, and now 5G networks. From the first generation to the current generation, there have been significant improvements in wireless technology.
“The first generation (1G) was developed in the 1980s and delivered analogue voice. The Second generation (2G) was developed in the early 1990s and introduced digital voice. The third generation (3G), was in the early 2000s and brought mobile data. That is why you can conveniently access information on your mobile phone with your mobile data. The fourth generation (4G LTE), was introduced in the 2010s brought in mobile broadband; a significant upgrade from the 3G. It is the reason why you can live stream High Definition videos, video conferencing with increased speeds.
“The 5G is a radical upgrade as it is now an embodiment of 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G; it is designed to provide more connectivity than was ever available before, beyond mobile communications. 5G is faster and has reduced latency, that is, the time between when information is sent from a device until it is used by a receiver.”
FG’s position
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami, who featured on Channels Television to discuss 5G and Covid-19, called on Nigerians to discard any unverified information about 5G and Covid-19, and to remain calm in face of coronavirus pandemic as government was working hard to control its spread.
Pantami said government “does not take decisions based on speculations, but only on facts and figures, which must be based on the input from experts within the field.”
He said, “For this reason, when the issue of Covid-19 came up, the first thing government did was to discourage people from talking unnecessarily in order to allow experts in the area to speak so that from what they say, the world would be able to know what to do.
“Nigeria had a demo trial of 5G on the 25th of November 2019, which was initially arranged to be conducted in September, same year, but I directed the Nigerian Communication Commissions (NCC) to put it on hold till November 25 to enable government to accommodate all stakeholders and prepare them for the trial launch.
“During the trial launch, we invited stakeholders, security institutions and many more. After the trial launch, we gave them a challenge to go and review the trial, come up with recommendations that will be a guide for government to take decisions to either deploy it or not.”
Continuing, he said, “If government is to deploy, then that recommendation will be accommodated in the regulatory instrument to be developed by NCC. The trial has been concluded since; NCC has been working on the report, collecting observations, recommendations, and many more from the stakeholders who witnessed it. From that report, the government will take a decision and so far the report is yet to reach me. I will be the last person that the report will come to within the ICT sector. So the report is still with NCC and they are still working on it. When the report comes to me, we will review it and make our position very clear.
“We have never deliberated the issue at the National Frequency Management Council to give spectrum to either the NCC or the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC). From my interactions with NCC, the Commission has never given any operator the license to operate 5G in Nigeria, and the decision to do so would be taken based on the research and the opinion of experts.”
NCC clears doubts
In order to clear the air of all doubts and allay the fears of Nigerians on the issue, NCC released a statement clarifying all grey areas about the purported link between 5G and Covid-19.
The statement, which was signed by its director, public affairs, Dr. Henry Nkemadu, read in part, “In view of the recent development in which misleading materials with no proven evidence being circulated to link Covid-19 with 5G technology, it has become imperative for the NCC to provide the following clarifications; Firstly, there is no correlation between 5G technology and Covid-19. 5G is advancement on today’s 4G technology designed to transform the world positively.
“Secondly, there is no deployment of 5G in Nigeria at the moment. The NCC, back in November 2019, approved trial test for 5G for a period of three months and the trial has been concluded and installation decommissioned. The trial among others was to study and observe any health or security challenges the 5G network might present. Relevant stakeholders, including members of the security agencies, were invited to participate during the trial. The NCC will continue to maintain its policy of technology neutrality and will continue to encourage Service providers to deploy the best technology that will meet the needs of the society in a secured and friendly manner.”
WHO’s take
Similarly, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has clarified that viruses cannot travel on radio waves or mobile networks, stressing that Covid-19 “is a respiratory disease.”
WHO, through a statement, debunked the myth, stating that “Covid-19 can be spread through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks.” “People can also be infected by touching a contaminated surface and then their eyes, mouth or nose,” it stated.
The global health organisation stated further that Covid-19 was spreading in many countries that did not have 5G mobile networks.
It also stated that being infected with the new coronavirus did not mean that the person would be infected with the virus forever, adding that people recovered from the disease.
“Most Covid-19 infected persons can recover and eliminate the virus from their bodies. If you are infected by the disease, make sure you treat your symptoms. If you have cough, fever, and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early, but call your health facility by telephone first. Most patients recover thanks to supportive care,” it stated further.
It added that exposure to the sun or to temperatures higher than 25C degrees would not prevent Covid-19.
“You can be infected with Covid-19, no matter how sunny or hot the weather is. Countries with hot weather have reported cases of Covid-19.” It said further that to be protected from the virus, people should ensure frequent and thorough hand-washing and avoid touching the eyes, mouth, and nose.
Expert’s view
Also, in an interview with the Guardian, a former chief executive officer of NCC, Ernest Ndukwe, said there is no link between 5G and Covid-19, and between telecoms services in general and health issues.
On the issue of 5G triggering the Covid-19 pandemic, Ndukwe said, “Let me state to the best of my knowledge that 5G has not been linked to any adverse health effects not to talk of inducing the Covid-19. Any assertion to the contrary is absurd and scientifically flawed. It is also incredibly irresponsible because, in some extreme circumstances, we have seen attacks on telecoms infrastructure, which may lead to disruption of services that are absolutely essential, especially during this time.
“You don’t need to take my word for it; you can simply look at the results of a recent study by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), an independent international watchdog, which confirmed there is no risk of harm to people, including children, from exposure to radio frequencies from mobile networks, including 5G. In its findings, the Commission reviewed 20 additional years of research and echoed previous reassurances from the World Health Organization. These findings have also been reiterated by the Nigerian Communications Commission who monitor radiation emissions from base stations nationally (none of which are 5G), and have confirmed that they are well within set limits. So, there is no link between 5G and Covid-19 and no link between telecoms services in general and health issues.”
Genuine concerns
However, Oladapo Ashiru, a professor of anatomy and consultant reproductive endocrinologist, said the concerns of Nigerians about the broader implications of technology and health is genuine. He, however, said there is no research that shows that 5G network causes coronavirus.
He said, “5G network is expected to make the idea of self-driving cars, robots, and automation, as well as ultra-smart phones and homes, a reality. With that reality comes the consequence that a new source of Electromagnetic Field (EMF) radiation is being introduced at speeds that we have never seen before. It is the crux of the debate and where personal circumspection is necessary.
“Globally, health concerns have been raised in many quarters over the past weeks about 5G network and EMF radiations in general; the particular emphasis being placed on the emergence of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic coinciding with the introduction of 5G networks in many parts of the world. Many argue that areas where 5G networks are installed have experienced higher cases of Covid-19 cases, suggesting a clear link between the two.
“While a lot of theories abound on the internet over the issue, it must be stated that correlation does not always imply causation. For instance, Iran has one of the worst incidences of Covid – 19 in the world, and the 5G network is not in that country yet. It is therefore clear that a lot is still not understood about the issues, and it has become urgent, and imperative to examine EMF radiation (not just 5G) and its many effects on health, especially as a lot of its sources have come to be a part of our everyday lives.”
He said further, “EMF radiations are produced whenever and wherever electrical current flows. Though invisible to the naked eye, EMF is present everywhere in our environment naturally, but there are also several human -made types of EMF. The natural source of EMF is the sun, which sends out its radiation in the form of visible light and heat energy.
“The energy from this type of EMF is tremendous and similar to that emitted by human – made sources like x-rays and gamma rays. These cause what is referred to as ‘ionising radiation’ because they are powerful enough to turn atoms to ions. This characteristic makes them dangerous to the health of living things. That is the reason we advised against frequent/prolonged x-rays, gamma rays, and sun exposure.
“The EMF emitted by most human – made modern, wireless technology such as cell phones, wifi routers, and microwave ovens has much less energy and is therefore non – ionising.”
Cleric recants, cites health risk
Meanwhile, the founder of Christ Embassy, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, who had alleged that 5G wireless communications technologies supporting cellular data networks was initiated to facilitate a ‘new world order’ has backtracked on his claim that the introduction of 5G network was responsible for the coronavirus pandemic.
Oyakhilome, in a video shared on social media, stated that he was only opposed to the initiative because of its perceived health risks and the seeming silence of authorised regulators to address its advantages and disadvantages.
He said, “…I am a science and technology enthusiast. I love technology. Just studying the capabilities of the 5G makes me, like Wow! I would like to go on it like tomorrow morning. I would like to start it right away. But at the same time, I am into healing; I know what it means for people to be sick. I meet with sick people all the time. And so, no matter how interested I am in the 5G, I am going to put health first.
“Are there health risks? What are the health implications? Those are my concerns and I became even more concerned when I found out that regulators didn’t seem to care much in looking into the details and the cause of the independent scientists and experts, medical doctors.
“If there are health risks, they should be fixed. We want to go on extraordinary technology but we must also consider all the health implications, has backtracked on his claim that the introduction of 5G network was responsible for the coronavirus pandemic,” he said.
