Q: COVID19 infection

Does MS increase my chance of getting COVID-19 infection?

Despite many people and information resources answering this question in the affirmative, the answer is we simply don't know.

To get infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus you have to be exposed to the virus. If you prevent exposure you don't infected. This COVID-19 virus is spread from one person to another via respiratory droplets produced during coughing and sneezing. Therefore personal hygiene, in particular washing hands, and social distancing and social isolation will reduce your chances of getting COVID-19.

If you are disabled and have difficulty with personal hygiene as a result of your neurological impairments you may be at increased risk of acquiring COVID-19.

Is being immunosuppressed as a result of being on a disease-modifying therapy (DMT) increase your risk of getting COVID-19?

Possibly.

At the moment we suspect a significant number of people have asymptomatic infections, i.e. they get exposed to the virus, get colonised and then shed the virus, but don't develop any symptoms of disease. It is likely that people on immunosuppressive therapies are less likely to be asymptomatic. If this is the case then immunosuppressive DMTs are likely to increase your chances of getting COVID-19 or symptomatic infection. This however does not necessarily mean you will have worse disease or be at increased risk of getting severe COVID-19. Why? It appears that severe COVID-19 infection is not necessarily due to the virus, but the immune response to virus. Therefore, paradoxically, it has been hypothesised that immunosuppressed people may be somewhat protected from severe disease. Please note that this is a hypothesis and will need to be studied prospectively. It can only be answered by studying large numbers of pwMS, on and off DMTs, who get COVID-19.

Date & Disclaimer: 18-March-2020; please note this information will be time limited and will change as new data emerges.