There are a number of possible explanations for the uptick in conspiracy theorists.
COVID provided a great launch window for people who were suddenly detached from a normal social structure. People tend to resist change, so what better way to adjust than make the whole situation someone else’s fault?
With the omnipresent tendency for a growing and significant percentage of the general population to be immersed in social media, the alarming decline of quality journalism, mistrust of government and FOMO (fear of missing out), the wannabe “experts” proliferated.