evidence: 5G doesn’t cause COVID-19, but the rumor it does spread like a virus People’s fear of 5G technology is rational. Such technology does emit radiation, even if it’s at low levels. But 5G isn’t all that different from 4G, and it certainly doesn’t cause COVID-19 despite such rumors having spread rapidly across the globe. [...] Another explanation for why folks might associate 5G with COVID-19 is that such technology emits invisible electromagnetic waves that people fear could impact their health. "People are much more worried about things [like radiation] that they cannot see," said Starobinski.