# New Covid strain

**URL:** <https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/new-covid-strain/10141>\
**Category:** Medical Q&A \[Moderated\]\
**Created:** [January 4, 2021, 11:04am UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/new-covid-strain/10141 "2021-01-04T11:04:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Pat\_Hughes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Pat\_Hughes](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Pat_Hughes)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 11:04am UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/new-covid-strain/10141/1 "2021-01-04T11:04:43Z")

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Hi there - I’m way down the list of people eligible for a vaccine so it doesn’t affect me yet, but I was wondering whether the newer more contagious strain of covid impacts the effectiveness of the vaccine?

Thanks

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**Author:** ![Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/jordan_feigenbaum/32/1315_2.png) [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Jordan_Feigenbaum)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2021, 6:00pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/new-covid-strain/10141/2 "2021-01-04T18:00:31Z")

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> [@Pat\_Hughes](#):
>
> Hi there - I’m way down the list of people eligible for a vaccine so it doesn’t affect me yet, but I was wondering whether the newer more contagious strain of covid impacts the effectiveness of the vaccine?
> 
> Thanks

Based on what we know currently, it’s unlikely to have a significant effect on the vaccine’s efficacy.

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**Author:** ![Pat\_Hughes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Pat\_Hughes](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Pat_Hughes)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2021, 9:04am UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/new-covid-strain/10141/3 "2021-01-05T09:04:16Z")

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> [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](#):
>
> Based on what we know currently, it’s unlikely to have a significant effect on the vaccine’s efficacy.

Thank you Jordan. Another quick one if I may - my wife recently started work in a GP surgery and was offered the vaccine but was advised (by the nurse) not to take it if she is planning on conceiving in the next 6 months. The [gov.uk](http://gov.uk) website recommends not taking the vaccine if you’re pregnant, at least until clinical studies have been done ([COVID-19 vaccination: women who are pregnant or breastfeeding - GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-vaccination-women-of-childbearing-age-currently-pregnant-planning-a-pregnancy-or-breastfeeding/covid-19-vaccination-a-guide-for-women-of-childbearing-age-pregnant-planning-a-pregnancy-or-breastfeeding)) but I couldn’t see anything on there around fertility risks.

I don’t recall this coming up in the podcast but apologies if I missed it - do you have a view on this? I’d ideally like me and my wife to get vaccinated ASAP, but she is worrying about fertility risks so turned down the vaccine. Thanks.

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**Author:** ![Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/jordan_feigenbaum/32/1315_2.png) [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Jordan_Feigenbaum)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2021, 3:26pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/new-covid-strain/10141/4 "2021-01-05T15:26:39Z")

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We don’t have any indication that the vaccine has any fertility risks, but if it did, you’d expect the actual infection to have a greater risk of this side effect. Again, no data showing a fertility risk exists to my knowledge save for some potential semen changes secondary to infection that are not really unique to SARS-CoV-2.

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**Author:** ![Pat\_Hughes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Pat\_Hughes](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Pat_Hughes)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2021, 3:50pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/new-covid-strain/10141/5 "2021-01-05T15:50:24Z")

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> [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](#):
>
> We don’t have any indication that the vaccine has any fertility risks, but if it did, you’d expect the actual infection to have a greater risk of this side effect. Again, no data showing a fertility risk exists to my knowledge save for some potential semen changes secondary to infection that are not really unique to SARS-CoV-2.

great, thank you Jordan