5G and Mobile Telephony

Letter to the Editor, Tribune de Genève, 7 July 2020

Our Health
by Meris Michaels

Part of the population in many countries does not want 5G. Yet this expensive and perhaps even potentially harmful technology is being imposed on us, violating our rights to decide whether we want antennas next to our homes, hospitals, schools, or even whether we really want them at all.

In this time of upheaval caused by the pandemic, there are much more pressing health and economic issues. Have we considered what harmful effect exposure to electromagnetic waves from this technology (classified as "potentially carcinogenic to humans" by WHO) could have on children, pregnant women, people suffering from microwave sickness: the waves emitted by our smartphones (tracking apps), devices connected to Wi-Fi (work and home study).

A number of countries are seeking to protect their population from exposure. France is seeing a wave of newly-elected officials who want studies on the health effects of 5G. A law has been enacted to protect the health of users, asking the National Frequencies Agency (ANFR) to test the exposure levels of connected devices (mobile phones, tablets, smart watches...) used close to the body. The Agency has the power to ask manufacturers to update or withdraw from the market devices that exceed exposure standards.

In the face of this pandemic, we must do everything possible to ensure our health, including limiting exposure to mobile phone emissions.