Some 20% of Americans believe in the conspiracy theory that microchips may have been planted inside COVID-19 vaccines that millions of people have already taken worldwide, according to a study by YouGov and The Economist that was conducted last week.
Despite a lack of evidence to support such a claim, the poll concluded overall that 15% of Americans said this conspiracy theory was "probably true" while another 5% said it was "definitely true."
The same poll concluded that 27% of people aged 30-44 support this theory, with 8% of Biden voters and 29% of Trump voters believed it. Some 14% of Democratic voters and 32% of Republican voters also shared the same sentiment.
Misinformation regarding COVID-19 has been a controversial subject during the past year. Just recently, US President Joe Biden said that misinformation spreading on social media regarding the virus has been "killing people."
False content has been published on social media regarding the microchip theory, with many conspiracy theorists saying that COVID-19 is just a coverup for world governments and corporations to track millions of people using vaccines.
Other conspiracy theorists have targeted Bill and Melinda Gates, saying they have been behind this so-called plot. In response, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation told the BBC that this is completely "false."
In January, upon rumors saying that the COVID-19 vaccine causes infertility or contains products derived from pork, multiple Jewish doctors warned against the conspiracy, saying there is “absolutely no evidence” to this claim.