Is it true that you are more likely to be hospitalized from COVID 19 if you are taking Ocrevus?

Here is My Question:
I recently discovered this link 

It says that with Ocrevus you may be might be more likely to hospitalized. How true is this? I have an Infusion coming up this week and concerned.

Answer:
There is a growing concern that treatment with anti-CD20 therapies (the most commonly used drugs in this class at present are Rituximab and Ocrelizumab) increases the risk of hospitalization and severe infection from COVID 19. Roche, the company that makes Ocrelizumab reported in late May that 30% of people on Ocrevus who are infected with COVID 19 experience severe infections, but Roche was not able to provide any other significant information on risk factors or outcomes in infected patients. 

From the beginning of the outbreak, we have advocated delaying Ocrelizumab infusions as long as possible in people with MS, particularly in those already on treatment. For those who are just initiating treatment, whether the treatment start should be delayed tends on the severity of their disease and their other risk factors for severe COVID 19 infection. Since the benefits of treatment are marginal in primary progressive MS patients over the age of 50, and these are often the patients at highest risk for severe COVID 19 infection, we have particularly avoided Ocrevus in this patient group during the Pandemic.

​Revere P (Rip) Kinkel, MDProfessor of Clinical Neurosciences
Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Program
Clinical Neurosciences Director
University of California San Diego