Home » Vaxopedia » Justin Bieber Has Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, and No, It is Not a COVID Vaccine Injury…

Justin Bieber Has Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, and No, It is Not a COVID Vaccine Injury…

By / June 12, 2022 / anti-vaccine math, Bell's Palsy, case reports, causation, chicken pox, facial paralysis, Justin Bieber, Ramsay Hunt syndrome, shingles, Steve Kirsch, VAERS

Why do some people think that Justin Bieber’s facial paralysis, which he says was caused by Ramsay Hunt syndrome, is a COVID vaccine injury?

Steve Kirsch uses a combination of dumpster diving in VAERS and some anti-vaccine math to push misinformation about Justin Bieber.
Steve Kirsch uses a combination of dumpster diving in VAERS and some anti-vaccine math to push misinformation about Justin Bieber.

The usual suspects…

Justin Bieber Has Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, and No, It is Not a COVID Vaccine Injury…

So what is Ramsay Hunt syndrome?

“Ramsay Hunt syndrome (RHS) is a rare neurological disorder characterized by paralysis of the facial nerve (facial palsy) and a rash affecting the ear or mouth. Ear abnormalities such as ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and hearing loss may also be present. Ramsay Hunt syndrome is caused by the varicella zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox in children and shingles (herpes zoster) in adults. In cases of Ramsay Hunt syndrome, previously inactive (dormant) varicella-zoster virus is reactivated and spreads to affect the facial nerve.”

Ramsay Hunt Syndrome – Rare Disease Datatbase

Basically it is kind of like Bell’s palsy with a rash (and some other symptoms)…

And since it is caused by a reactivation of the chicken pox virus, like shingles, it can occur in anyone who has had chicken pox. Also like shingles, it can (more rarely) occur in anyone who has had a chicken pox vaccine.

Neither are considered to be an adverse vaccine to the COVID vaccine, although many things, including stress, can trigger the chicken pox virus to become reactivated.

Could someone develop Ramsay Hunt syndrome after getting a COVID vaccine?

Our COVID vaccine safety monitoring systems would have uncovered any connection between COVID vaccines and Ramsay Hunt syndrome.
Our COVID vaccine safety monitoring systems would have uncovered any connection between COVID vaccines and Ramsay Hunt syndrome.

In theory sure, but if they were, we would likely also be seeing many more cases of shingles, as they are both linked to reactivation of latent chicken pox virus infections.

And we aren’t…

“According to one estimate, 5 out of every 100,000 people develop Ramsay Hunt syndrome each year in the United States.”

Ramsay Hunt Syndrome – Rare Disease Datatbase

Also, if you consider that over 250 million people in the United States have received a COVID vaccine, then knowing the incidence of Ramsay Hunt syndrome, you will understand that some of those who develop symptoms will have coincidentally have just gotten their vaccine.

That explains the few case reports of people developing Ramsay Hunt syndrome shortly after being vaccinated.

Is that what happened to Justin Bieber?

Although some folks like Steve Kirsch are “99% certain” that Justin Bieber’s paralysis is a vaccine injury, none of us even know if he is vaccinated!

What else do these folks leave out?

They don’t mention that a COVID infection itself can cause Bell’s palsy!

Nor do they mention that there are case reports of people developing Ramsay Hunt syndrome when they have COVID!

There are case reports of folks developing Ramsay Hunt syndrome while having COVID!
Did Justin Bieber have COVID?

So by scaring people away from getting vaccinated and protected, their misinformation is actually increasing the risk that more people develop facial paralysis!

What to Know About Justin Bieber and Ramsay Hunt Syndrome

There is no evidence that Justin Bieber developed Ramsay Hunt syndrome after getting a COVID vaccine, or just as importantly, that COVID vaccines are even associated with Ramsay Hunt syndrome.

More on Ramsay Hunt Syndrome

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