As of this morning – Wednesday April 22 – the current recorded case count for COVID-19 (coronavirus) in the UK has hit 129,044 with 17,337 deaths.
The MS Society has launched new virtual support services to provide support to people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who are isolating at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The charity said that in a survey of over 1,100 people living with MS more than a quarter of respondents (26%) said they felt ‘scared’ about what COVID-19 could mean for them, while 34% said their mental health was suffering as a result of the crisis.
Given that face-to-face support groups have to stop for the foreseeable future, the MS Society has developed new services online, including Time to Chat – a service supporting virtual meetings for people with MS, and Keep in Touch – a regular check-in phone call designed to help those who might not see or have contact with anyone.
“This is a time of real uncertainty for everyone, but for those living with MS the stakes are even higher. Having MS is hard enough, and these figures tell us many people are now being challenged in a way that feels overwhelming,” Ed Holloway, director of Services at the charity.
“Calls to our free MS Helpline have increased significantly and, since we can no longer meet face-to-face, we’ve been rapidly creating new services – including telephone befriending and virtual meet ups – so people can stay in touch from home.”
WASH YOUR HANDS:
Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water.
MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING:
Maintain at least two metres (six feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
STAY AT HOME:
Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (but only if you cannot work from home).
