b'infected had no symptoms. Those who have communityispracticingsocialdistancingdied tended to be older than survivors (63 and mask wearing.years old versus 47 years old), have progressive WearelearningmoreaboutCOVID-19forms of MS, be nonambulatory, and have every day, but questions and challengesother health issues. remain. The immune response to COVID-19How do MS therapies aect a persons risk is complicated and may vary from person toof having a more severe course with COVID- person. Studies are increasingly pointing19? In general, we have not seen evidence that towards the importance of the T-cell responseMS therapies aect a persons risk of having in fighting off COVD-19 and perhaps ina hospitalization or dying from COVID-19. determining long-term immunity to the virus.However, the Italian dataset did suggest that While we have a blood test to measure thepeople with MS on Ocrevus or Rituxan had a antibody response to COVID-19, there ishigher risk of hospitalizations with COVID-19 presently no commercially available test forregardless of age, disability or type of MS. In cellular immunity. Numerous vaccines are inthe COVIMS Registry, there does seem to be development to help end the pandemic. Ifmore deaths on those two drugs than with and when a vaccine becomes available, weother MS therapies. In our experience at the will need to make a determination about howAndrew C. Carlos MS Institute, we have not that vaccine applies to people with MS.seen any issues with any of our MS therapiesand COVID-19. We take care of nearly 3,000 Formostpeople withMS,theirMSindividuals with MS and more than 400 of them management plan will not change becauseare on Ocrevus or Rituxan. To our knowledge, of COVID-19. Many of you may be gettingwe have had 16 people develop COVID-19 some of your healthcare via telehealth, andwithonehospitalized. Allhaverecovered, thiswilllikelystickaroundevenafterfortunately. My suspicion for why we may be COVID-19 quietsdown.Staytunedasweseeing low numbers of COVID-19 cases in learn more about COVID-19 and as we moveour MS population is that it seems the MS closer to putting 2020 behind us.55 msfocusmagazine.org'