In this article we explore the phenomenon of COVID-19 conspiracy theories and why they have captured the popular imagination over the course of the pandemic. Indeed, far from benign internet curiosities, COVID-19 conspiracy theories have serious detrimental consequences reaching far beyond those who profess them – we will specially examine their effect on COVID-19 vaccination. Yet despite their harm, such beliefs prove appealing and enduring because of the mixture of understanding, safety and belonging that they claim to offer in uncertain times. Furthermore, they have the potential to widen pre-existing health inequalities amongst already disenfranchised groups. Finally, we look at what is being done to counter such misinformation.