Development of an Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-racism Pledge as the Foundation for Action in an Academic Department of Neurology.

Racial inequities as illustrated by the health disparities in COVID19 infections and deaths, the recent killings of Black men and women by law enforcement, and the widening socioeconomic inequality and have brought systemic racism into a national conversation. These unprecedented times may have deleterious consequences, increasing stress, and trauma for many members of the neurology workforce. The Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism Committee within our Department of Neurology provides infrastructure and guidance to foster a culture of belonging and addresses the well-being of faculty, staff, and trainees. Here, we present the creation and implementation of our Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism (EDIA) Pledge which was central to our committee's response to these unprecedented times. We outline the process of developing this unique EDIA Pledge and provide a roadmap for approaching these important topics through a CME Neurology Grand Rounds aimed at fostering a diverse, inclusive, equitable and antiracist work environment. Through the lived experiences of 4 faculty members, we identify the impact of bias and microaggressions, and encourage allyship and personal development for cultural intelligence. We hope these efforts will inspire Neurology departments and other academic institutions across the globe to make a similar pledge.

Development of an Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-racism Pledge as the Foundation for Action in an Academic Department of Neurology.

Racial inequities as illustrated by the health disparities in COVID19 infections and deaths, the recent killings of Black men and women by law enforcement, and the widening socioeconomic inequality and have brought systemic racism into a national conversation. These unprecedented times may have deleterious consequences, increasing stress, and trauma for many members of the neurology workforce. The Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism Committee within our Department of Neurology provides infrastructure and guidance to foster a culture of belonging and addresses the well-being of faculty, staff, and trainees. Here, we present the creation and implementation of our Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism (EDIA) Pledge which was central to our committee's response to these unprecedented times. We outline the process of developing this unique EDIA Pledge and provide a roadmap for approaching these important topics through a CME Neurology Grand Rounds aimed at fostering a diverse, inclusive, equitable and antiracist work environment. Through the lived experiences of 4 faculty members, we identify the impact of bias and microaggressions, and encourage allyship and personal development for cultural intelligence. We hope these efforts will inspire Neurology departments and other academic institutions across the globe to make a similar pledge.

Development of SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG antibodies in a relapsing multiple sclerosis patient on ofatumumab.

We report the case of a MS patient on subcutaneous ofatumumab who became infected with SARS-CoV-2 and remained asymptomatic while developing antiviral IgM and IgG antibodies. The patient was B-cell depleted with normal serum immunoglobulin levels. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies remained positive three months after the initial infection. These findings suggest that a MS patient treated with ofatumumab may be able to mount an effective humoral response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and probably to COVID-19 vaccines as well. Further research will be necessary to evaluate the humoral response of MS patients on ofatumumab to SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccines.