Donate

The maddest coronavirus conspiracy theories

Mainstream journalists and politicians are spreading some dodgy ideas about Covid-19.

spiked

Topics Brexit Covid-19 Politics Science & Tech UK World

Want to read spiked ad-free? Become a spiked supporter.

As Covid-19 has spread around the world, so too has misinformation and conspiracy theories.

While madcap theories are par for the course on the darker recesses of the internet, in recent years many prominent and supposedly sensible people have turned to conspiracy theories to explain away political and social developments – particularly Brexit, Trump and the rise of populism. And now this conspiratorial thinking has extended to coronavirus.

Here are some of the maddest takes from the pandemic so far.


Coronavirus is a bioweapon

One of the main conspiracy theories doing the rounds online is the idea that coronavirus is actually a bioweapon – developed either by China or the US, depending on who is posting or tweeting. The theory has been comprehensively debunked. (For one thing, a bioweapon which spread indiscriminately like Covid-19 would be useless.)

Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood has dangerously lent legitimacy to this nonsense, by suggesting that Wuhan may also be the site of a bioweapons research lab.


Boris wants to cull the elderly

The UK government has adopted a noticeably less draconian approach to the Covid-19 outbreak than our European neighbours, and this has sent #FBPE Twitter into meltdown.

Although the government’s approach is being led by its scientific advisers, many tinfoil-hat wearers see a much darker motive: they say the Tories want to kill off the elderly and the vulnerable (and cover up the damage done by Brexit, of course). Wake up, sheeple!


Anything tweeted by Carole Cadwalladr of late

Carol Cadwalladr’s anti-Brexit conspiracy theories about Russia, data miners and Julian Assange have made her a darling of the liberal intelligentsia in recent years. Her fevered ramblings won her Britain’s top journalistic prize and she was even nominated for a Pulitzer.

Enjoying Spiked?

Support us with an instant, one-off donation.

Please wait...
Thank you!

Now Cadwalladr is alleging a conspiracy between Big Tech and the government over coronavirus, because Boris Johnson’s chief strategist, Dominic Cummings, had a meeting with tech CEOs to discuss coronavirus. In a spectacularly bizarre and borderline incomprehensible rant, Cadwalladr asked if coronavirus could also be ‘rigged’ in the same way that she believes the Brexit vote was rigged.

In the five days since the WHO declared coronavirus to be a global pandemic, far too many people have already lost their minds.

Picture by: Getty.

This is what we're up against...

A media ecosystem dominated by a handful of billionaire owners, bad actors spreading disinformation online and the rich and powerful trying to stop us publishing stories. But we have you on our side. Supporters help to fund our journalism and those who choose All-access digital enjoy exclusive extras:

  1. Unlimited articles in our app and ad-free reading on all devices
  2. Exclusive newsletter and far fewer asks for support
  3. Full access to the Guardian Feast app

If you can, please support us on a monthly basis and make a big impact in support of open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Comments

Want to join the conversation?

Only spiked supporters and patrons, who donate regularly to us, can comment on our articles.

Join today