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MS and COVID19
Image by marcinjozwiak from PixabayQuestions about MS and COVID19? They've probably been on your mind for the past year or so. If you've researched on the CDC website, good for you. If you've asked your doctor, that's great. As someone with multiple sclerosis, you probably have specific questions about how the vaccine relates to you and what you should do about it.
Should you take it? Cir asked his doctor early on and followed his suggestions to go ahead and get the vaccine. We've gotten the booster shots as well, and intend to get them whenever we're eligible and they become available each year.
MS and COVID19 Finding Info
What's the best course of action if you still have questions and are struggling with what you should do in your situation? Talk to your doctor to get advice on how you should proceed when in comes to MS and COVID19. They will know your best if you've been seeing them for awhile and have developed a history with them.
If you still have questions after speaking with them, the CDC website is the next logical place to go, especially for updated guidelines and to find out what is happening in real time. They can help you decide things like when and how to mask, or if you should stay at home even after getting vaccinated.
The CDC has archived several of it's pages that talk about quarantine, masking, and more. You can still get up to date info by doing a search for COVID19. Testing for the virus, as well as vaccine information, can be found if you type it in the search box.
I still think it's a good idea to mask up if you've been exposed to someone who recently developed COVID. And we plan to get the newest vaccine to keep Cir safe from getting it or at least a worse version of it.
Another place you might want to check with specifics about how the corona virus might affect you as a person with MS, is the National MS Society. Over the years, they have been our go to site for up to date info on new treatments, how to find resources, and so much more.
According to NMSS there are several factors that may cause you to have a worse case of COVID19:
- Progressive MS
- Older age
- Male sex
- Black race
- Using a mobility device or a wheelchair
- Obesity (body mass index of 30 or higher)
- Other chronic health conditions, like diabetes or heart disease, in addition to MS
- Taking steroid medications
- Taking certain disease modifying therapies called anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies (Ocrevus and Rituxan and biosimilars)
There is a lot more information about how to still deal with the disease when you have multiple sclerosis. As much as we want to believe that MS is a thing of the past, it is not. It is here for the duration. It may be getting milder because of the existence of the vaccines.
I'll be reading through all of the articles on the National MS Society website just to find out what the best practices are moving forward. Every so often I here of someone who has gotten it again. We may feel like everything is back to "normal" like it was before the pandemic.
Unfortunately that isn't the case. Our new normal is a world with COVID19 in it. Just like we get flu vaccines, Covid vaccines will also be part of that new normal. And don't forget N95 masks, hand sanitizer, and continued hand washing, of course.
The MS Society suggests having good quality masks on hand for those occasions when you might need them. I see them everywhere, so if you're caught without one, you shouldn't have to look too far to find one.
We've always carried hand sanitizer in our car for those times when we want to snack on the way home. And hand washing after arriving home is a no-brainer, at least for us. This is something we've always done even before the pandemic. If anything, we're just more diligent nowadays.
We are including the following Ask an MS Expert video to address questions specific to multiple sclerosis and the COVID19 vaccine. After you've checked the CDC site, watch the video below especially if you still have questions or feel unclear about things.
Ask an MS Expert Video
I hope watching this video helps you decide next steps as far as what you should do when it comes to your MS and COVID19. We've already gotten our vaccines, however, the video did clarify many things when it came to multiple sclerosis and Cir's situation, even though we knew most of it from talking to his doctor. It's always good to have verification or a second opinion.
Don't be afraid to ask questions and seek out the answers from reputable sources when it comes to your overall health. If you've developed a relationship with your team of doctors, then you should be able to ask them anything and get straight answers. If not, then you may need to change course in order to search for someone you can trust.
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Cir & Akrista
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