Bill Gates during a call with news reporters on Wednesday stated that he is not involved in any microchip-type project. According to some conspiracy theories, Gates is involved in a plot to use COVID-19 vaccines for implanting tracking microchips in individuals. He informed media outlets that these theories are stupid and baseless.
Bill Gates has been warning us for years about the dangers of a global pandemic. He urged world leaders including Trump back during 2016 to take stronger steps to prepare the world for a pandemic. Gates gave a TED Talk back in the year 2015 that warned the people about the death toll of a global pandemic. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has committed $300 million to fight the coronavirus and create a vaccine.
Some particular pundits and right-wing fringe groups started to spread misleading information across various social platforms during January that Gates is behind the creation of the coronavirus and he wants to generate money from it. Gates explained that it is beneficial to know which kids have been given a measles vaccine and which kids have not, and we need systems to keep a record. However, there are no microchips involved.
Gates stated that their foundation gets money to purchase vaccines, and this is the reason he predicted the risk of a global pandemic. Zignal Labs reported the NY Times that since conspiracy theories related to the virus exploded on social platforms and TV, these theories were mentioned 1.2 million times during Feb-Apr. Yahoo News and YouGov conducted a survey in late May and found that 28% of US citizens think that these conspiracy theories are true. The survey also discovered that 50% of individuals who mainly watch Fox News and 44% Republicans considered these theories true. However, 61% who mainly watch MSNBC considered these theories false.
When the reporters asked Gates about the poll, he stated that it was a bit concerning for him. However, it did not stop governments as well as other groups around the world from funding efforts for developing a coronavirus vaccine. Gates expressed a concern that even if we are able to develop a vaccine, the anti-vaccine sentiment may make it challenging for us to reach herd immunity. Bill Gates also urged that when we are ready to manufacture coronavirus vaccines, these vaccines should be initially distributed to countries that have weaker healthcare infrastructure. He also stated that we should distribute the vaccines first to those regions where social distancing is less practical.
According to Bill Gates, the world needs to work together to create a coronavirus vaccine that is safe and effective. We should also ensure that the vaccines are made available to those who need them the most.
Photo: Mike Cohen/Getty Images
Read next: Tips to combat misinformation amidst COVID-19
Bill Gates has been warning us for years about the dangers of a global pandemic. He urged world leaders including Trump back during 2016 to take stronger steps to prepare the world for a pandemic. Gates gave a TED Talk back in the year 2015 that warned the people about the death toll of a global pandemic. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has committed $300 million to fight the coronavirus and create a vaccine.
Some particular pundits and right-wing fringe groups started to spread misleading information across various social platforms during January that Gates is behind the creation of the coronavirus and he wants to generate money from it. Gates explained that it is beneficial to know which kids have been given a measles vaccine and which kids have not, and we need systems to keep a record. However, there are no microchips involved.
Gates stated that their foundation gets money to purchase vaccines, and this is the reason he predicted the risk of a global pandemic. Zignal Labs reported the NY Times that since conspiracy theories related to the virus exploded on social platforms and TV, these theories were mentioned 1.2 million times during Feb-Apr. Yahoo News and YouGov conducted a survey in late May and found that 28% of US citizens think that these conspiracy theories are true. The survey also discovered that 50% of individuals who mainly watch Fox News and 44% Republicans considered these theories true. However, 61% who mainly watch MSNBC considered these theories false.
When the reporters asked Gates about the poll, he stated that it was a bit concerning for him. However, it did not stop governments as well as other groups around the world from funding efforts for developing a coronavirus vaccine. Gates expressed a concern that even if we are able to develop a vaccine, the anti-vaccine sentiment may make it challenging for us to reach herd immunity. Bill Gates also urged that when we are ready to manufacture coronavirus vaccines, these vaccines should be initially distributed to countries that have weaker healthcare infrastructure. He also stated that we should distribute the vaccines first to those regions where social distancing is less practical.
According to Bill Gates, the world needs to work together to create a coronavirus vaccine that is safe and effective. We should also ensure that the vaccines are made available to those who need them the most.
Photo: Mike Cohen/Getty Images
Read next: Tips to combat misinformation amidst COVID-19
