Welcome MS Activists to the Public Policy Conference!
Thank you for participating in the 2020 Public Policy Conference! Make sure you’ve registered for the Conference and reserved your hotel room by February 8th as instructed in the invitation email (except for accessible hotel rooms which must be reserved through Joan Ortt—see below).
When booking your travel to and from the conference please plan to arrive by 2:00 pm on Monday (March 2) and do not book a flight departing before 7:00 pm on Wednesday (March 4). This will ensure you will arrive on time for the start of the conference and will be able to complete all of your Capitol Hill meetings.
UPDATE: What You Need to Know About Coronavirus
With significant attention surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19), we want to make sure you have everything you need to feel safe and prepared for your travels and our time together next week. See below for some helpful tips and where to go for additional information.
When to stay home
Most people who contract COVID-19 will have mild symptoms, but some people will have more severe symptoms, which can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. If you’re experiencing these symptoms, it’s recommended you play it safe and stay home, as well as contact your physician.
Tips to protect yourself
The following actions can help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available (we’ll have travel sized sanitizers for each person next week!).
- Avoid close contact (at least 3 feet away) with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a flexed elbow or tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
Special considerations for people with MS
Many disease modifying therapies (DMTs) for MS work by modifying or suppressing the immune system. People with MS who are treated with these therapies can face an increased risk of infections. If you are taking a DMT and believe you have been exposed to COVID-19 or are confirmed to have this infection, please contact your neurologist or primary care healthcare provider.
Other resources
Post-Conference Survey: Help us continue to improve the PPC experience by taking a short survey.
Photos: Download and enjoy photos from the 2020 PPC HERE. The password is NMSS.
Reimbursement: The Society pays for all costs associated with your attendance. However, some costs such as travel, baggage fees, tips, etc., will need to be paid for up front and reimbursed after the event. If this is a challenge, we can work with you to find a solution. Contact Joan Ortt at joan.ortt@nmss.org or 303-698-6100 ext. 15158.
After the event, email your expense form and receipt back up to NMSSPPC@nmss.org by APRIL 30th. If you wish to be reimbursed electronically (and not via check) - through direct deposit - please complete the volunteer direct deposit form as well. Meals that are not part of the meeting agenda will be reimbursed at a reasonable rate not to exceed $65.00 per day and alcohol is NOT reimbursable. Reimbursements can take up to 8 weeks to process due to office closures for COVID-19 - particularly if they are being processed as checks.
Email is prefered, but expense forms can also be mailed to:
National MS Society
Attn: Joan Orrt
900 S. Broadway, 2nd Floor
Denver, CO 80209
After Your Capitol Hill Meetings:
- Check which dear colleague letters your elected officials signed onto.
- Send a Thank You to Your Congressional Offices: This is a great time to thank and reconnect with congressional staff. If they signed onto one of the letters above - thank them.
- One Person Per Meeting Should Complete this Online Feedback Form: Discuss how your members felt about the legislative issues, mention any personal connections to MS you discovered and let us know about any follow-up that needs to be done.
- Follow up with the offices you met with regarding important deadlines on dear collegue letters.