WHO Investigating Hearing Issues Among People Vaccinated Against COVID-19

An 89-year-old woman receives a fourth shot of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine in Netanya, Israel, on Jan. 5, 2022. Ammar Awad/Reuters

The World Health Organization (WHO) is looking into reports of hearing loss and tinnitus—constant ringing or other noises in one or both ears—among people who have taken COVID-19 vaccines.

The organization said in a recent newsletter that it found 164 unique cases of hearing loss globally. Women accounted for 104 of these cases while men accounted for 59. Ages of those affected fell within the range of 19 and 93, with 49 being the median age. The United States saw the highest number of incidents at 66, followed by the UK with 36 cases, and Italy with 15.

Pfizer/BioNTech’s vaccine with 142 cases registered the highest number of cases followed by Moderna with 15 cases, and AstraZeneca with seven. Of the 164 cases, 51 recovered or were recovering while 50 had yet to recover. The situation of the remaining 63 individuals was not known.

“While most of the cases were recorded as non-serious (93 cases, 57 percent), 71 cases (43 percent) were recorded as serious. Seriousness criteria were most often ‘Other medically important condition’ (37 case reports), and ‘Disabling/incapacitating’ (29), followed by ‘Caused/prolonged hospitalization’ (5), and ‘Life threatening’ (2),” the newsletter said.

Tinnitus was observed in 367 cases, which included 56 incidents that were grouped into hearing losses. Of the 367 cases, women accounted for 73 percent and men the rest. The UK and the United States saw the highest number of cases at 115 and 113 respectively. Italy reported 42 cases.

As to the vaccines, 80 percent of cases were among people who had received a Pfizer shot, with Moderna accounting for 11 percent of incidents. Of the total number of cases, 164 are reported to have recovered from tinnitus while 90 are reported as not recovered. The situation of 112 cases is unknown.

A link between hearing loss and COVID-19 vaccination was also discovered in a study published by JAMA on Feb. 24. Although it states that the “effect size” of potential hearing loss is “very small,” the researchers admit that “this study suggests that the BNT162b2 mRNA [Pfizer] COVID-19 vaccine might be associated with increased risk of SSNHL [sudden sensorineural hearing loss].”

In addition to hearing loss, COVID-19 vaccinations have been found to trigger other medical issues. One study found heart abnormalities in certain adolescents several months after their vaccination.

Dr. Anish Koka, a cardiologist who wasn’t involved with the study, noted that the results suggest around 60 to 70 percent of teenagers who are affected by myocarditis after vaccination might get a scar on their hearts. Myocarditis is a condition in which the heart muscle myocardium becomes inflated.

“Certainly, children who had chest pain severe enough to merit seeking medical attention need to at least make sure they get a follow up MRI,” he told The Epoch Times. The findings of the study should have “clear implications” for the discussion around the risk of vaccines and vaccine mandates, he added.