Morgellons – a mutating conspiracy theory
I recently came across a conspiracy theory that has been around for some time already and has gained new attention since the outbreak of Covid-19. Taking the analogy from Ali’s (2021) paper, one could say the conspiracy theory has mutated, similar to a virus.
It is about Morgellons, which are supposed to be either nanobots or mysterious worm-like parasites, causing open wounds and the feeling of having bugs crawling under one’s skin. People are convinced that they can see these worms under a magnifier. Unsurprisingly, these worms or nanobots always turn out to be dust, pet hair, or cotton fibers, and the sores are caused by scratching due to a chronic itch disorder called delusional parasitosis. These patients often suffer from medical staff’s lack of understanding and empathy for their painful condition.
In 2020, people stared to claim that they found these Morgellons on masks and Covid-19 test kits, and there are many videos of masks and test swabs getting picked apart to show that they contain fibers that are alive (i.e. move when heated or breathed on). Supposedly, they are planted there by higher powers to infect as many people with Morgellons as possible. It is not fully clear though whether it were the same higher powers that made up or caused Covid-19, too, or whether they are just taking advantage of the current situation.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/may/07/morgellons-mysterious-illness
https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-swabs-idUSKBN29P2Q5
https://fullfact.org/online/masks-swabs-covid-morgellons-fibres/
Contributed by Johannavon Pezold on 07/03/2022
