NEWBURY MP Laura Farris has raised concerns about a “persistent myth” about the Covid-19 vaccines.

The Conservative MP asked health secretary Matt Hancock what is being done to dispel the myth that vaccines can affect a person’s fertility, when she spoke in the House of Commons on February 9.

“It’s one of the most persistent myths that’s been raised with me by young women – that the vaccine can negatively affect their fertility,” she said.

Mr Hancock said: “There is no evidence at all that the vaccine negatively affects fertility.

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“There are many myths about vaccines and I’m very glad to say they have largely been rightly ignored by the British public.

“The way we try to tackle these myths is by putting out as much positive, accurate and objective information from objective sources.”

Ms Farris also asked the health secretary how many people under the age of 70 have been offered a vaccine, but he did not respond.

On its website, Berkshire West Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which is vaccinating people across West Berkshire, states there is “no evidence that the vaccine has any negative impact on people’s fertility”.

The NHS organisation also states there is “no evidence” to suggest it is unsafe for pregnant women to be vaccinated but “more evidence is needed” before they can be routinely offered it.

According to the NHS, women should be vaccinated if they are at high risk of catching Covid-19 or are classed as clinically extremely vulnerable.

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The government website states: “The vaccines have not yet been tested in pregnancy, so until more information is available, those who are pregnant should not routinely have this vaccine.

“Evidence from non-clinical studies of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine has been received and reviewed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

“This evidence was also reviewed by World Health Organisation and the regulatory bodies in the USA, Canada and Europe and has raised no concerns about safety in pregnancy.

“Non-clinical studies of the Astra-Zeneca Covid-19 vaccine have raised no concerns.”

Berkshire West CCG is currently on track to offer everyone in West Berkshire, who is aged 70 and over or clinically extremely vulnerable, at least one dose of the vaccine by February 15.

Across the UK, more than 12.6 million people have been offered one dose of a vaccine and over 516,000 have been offered one.