Exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on social isolation and mental health in people with MS

•People with MS's anxiety, depression and social participation worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic.•Social distancing and isolation is found to be associated with worse anxiety and depression.•MS patients’ who attended in- person visits during the pandemic did not experience negative changes to the emotional and social health.•Healthcare providers must be alert and assess MS patients’ mental health on a regular basis, as they have a higher prevalence of mood disorders than the general population.