ALARM bells are ringing across Southend after Covid conspiracy stickers were discovered last night.

Dozens of stickers, which warn against mask wearing, were forcibly removed by walkers across Southend last night.

Councillors have now warned residents not to listen to the conspiracy notes, which read: "Wearing a mask constantly will cause you to breathe in Carbon Dioxide and trapped germs/bacteria causing chronic Circulatory problems, bacterial pneumonia and irreversible brain damage."

⚠WARNING: COVID CONSPIRACY STICKERS IN SOUTHEND⚠ With thanks to local resident and publican James, who found and...

Posted by Cllr Matt Dent on Monday, 11 January 2021

Matt Dent, Labour councillor of the Kursaal ward, issued a warning, saying: "They are obviously untrue, medically and scientifically unsound, and promote conspiracy theories relating to COVID-19.

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"Wearing a mask will cause none of these negative effects.

"What it might do is stop you getting COVID-19, or spreading it unwittingly to others.

"And at a time when the NHS is at breaking point and its staff exhausted due to volume of COVID patients, wearing a mask is a simple and easy thing you can do to help.

"It's a sad truth that we have to be aware and ever-vigilant against this sort of dangerous misinformation, in addition to the virus.

"If you find any, do feel free to remove them, or report them for removal via My Southend: https://my.southend.gov.uk/."

It is believed some stickers may still be in place, despite several being removed by Railway pub manager James Vessey-Miller.