b'DearJan,Ingeneral,thepneumoniavaccinewouldbeagreatideaforyou,butprobablynotrightnow.Thevaccinecoverspneumoniafromthepneumococcusbacteriaonly.IwouldbeconcernedaboutyouexposingyourselftoCOVID-19riskbygoingtoadoctorsocetogetthatvaccine.IwouldwaituntilthisDearReaders, pandemichasquieteddown.Forthisissue,Dr.BenThroweristaking DearDr.Thrower,overtheinboxtoanswerquestionsreaders WhataretherisklevelsforayoungpersonhaveemailedusaboutCOVID-19.Formore withprimaryprogressiveMScurrentlyonCOVID-19informationfromDr.Ben,listentohis Ocrevus?Iam25yearsoldandhaveanrecentteleconferences.Gotomsfocusradio.org infusionscheduledfornextweekandmyandscrolldowntoOn-Demand. neurologistisnotintown.IhavebeenworkingDearDr.Thrower, remotelyforawhileandhavenotbeenleavingImonTysabri,whatcanIdotohelp the home; however there are those in mydecreasemyriskofpickingupCOVIDby familythatdo/haveto.Anyguidanceorgoingintotheinfusioncenter?Imstaying suggestionswouldbeappreciated.Thankyou!awayfrommedicalofficesotherthanmy Trevorinfusion,butIknowstoppingTysabricanbringabadexacerbationandIhavebeen HiTrevor,advisedbymyneurologisttocontinue. The risks/benets of getting your nextThankyou,Kathy OcrevusinfusionmustbeweighedagainstHelloKathy, theriskofCOVID-19infection.FormyyoungIsuspectyourinfusioncenterisscreening RRMSpatients,Imrecommendingkeepingpatientsandstatohelpminimizeyourriskof Ocrevusasscheduled.Formyover60PPMSCOVID-19whilethere.Makesuretheinfusion patients,wearediscussingdelayingtheirnextchairsaresixfeetapart.Youcanaskifaprivate dose.Yourekindofahybrid,ayoungPPMSroomisanoption.Iftherearecurtainsbetween patient.Ithinkdelayingyourinfusionwillhavethechairs,makesuretheyarepulledshut.The verylittlechanceofmakingyourMSprogressCDC is now recommending cloth masks for andIwouldtendtoleantowardspushingitanyonegoinginpublic,andmakesuretowash backtwo-threemonths.yourhands!Dr.Thrower,IhavesecondaryprogressiveMSonaslow Have Your Sayrateofdecline.At64,Ialsohavemildasthma, Ifyouhavetipsandsuggestionsforhavehadpneumoniatwice,andama41/2yr. makinglifeeasierwithMS,wedlovebreastcancersurvivor.Myquestion:should tohearthem!Emailusat:Igetapneumoniavaccine(Pneumovax)thisweek? editor@msfocus.org.Jan McDonald9 msfocusmagazine.org'