Coronavirus (Covid-19) FAQ’s for people who have chronic kidney disease, are on dialysis or who have a transplant

General FAQ’s about Covid-19 for anyone with chronic kidney disease, are on dialysis or who have a transplant:

Is there a way to communicate with my doctor without having to go to their office?

The HHS has altered HIPAA rules during the COVID-19 crisis, allowing health care providers to use applications such as FaceTime, Facebook Messenger, Hangouts, Skype, Zoom, etc so they are able to provide care to patients remotely:

During the COVID-19 national emergency, which also constitutes a nationwide public health emergency, covered health care providers subject to the HIPAA Rules may seek to communicate with patients, and provide telehealth services, through remote communications technologies. Some of these technologies, and the manner in which they are used by HIPAA covered health care providers, may not fully comply with the requirements of the HIPAA Rules.

If your healthcare provider is using an application or platform that is not covered under HIPAA, check with them on what safeguards they have in place to ensure your privacy is protected, and what their plans and timelines are for moving to platforms that do fall under HIPAA compliance.

Learn more via this HHS Link. 

 

Covid-19 FAQ’s For people on in-center dialysis:

What should my dialysis center be doing to protect me?
Dialysis centers must adhere to the CDC guidelines. Do NOT stop treatments during the COVID-19 outbreak. (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html)

A part of routine infection control, outpatient dialysis facilities should have established policies and practices to reduce the spread of contagious respiratory pathogens.

Facilities should identify patients with signs and symptoms of respiratory infection (e.g., fever, cough) before they enter the treatment area.

Facilities should provide patients and HCP with instructions (in appropriate languages) about hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, and cough etiquette. Instructions should include how to use facemasks and how and when to perform hand hygiene.

Signs must be posted at clinic entrances with instructions for patients with fever or symptoms of respiratory infection to alert staff so appropriate precautions can be implemented.

Facilities should have supplies positioned close to dialysis chairs and nursing stations to ensure adherence to hand and respiratory hygiene, and cough etiquette. These include tissues and no-touch receptacles for disposal of tissues and hand hygiene supplies (e.g., alcohol-based hand sanitizer).

Facilities should have space in waiting areas for ill patients to sit separated from other patients by at least 6 feet. Medically stable patients might opt to wait in a personal vehicle or outside the healthcare facility where they can be contacted by mobile phone when it is their turn to be seen.

Facilities should maintain at least 6 feet of separation between masked, symptomatic patients and other patients during dialysis treatment. Ideally, symptomatic patients would be dialyzed in a separate room (if available) with the door closed.

Routine cleaning and disinfection are appropriate for COVID-19 in dialysis settings. Any surface, supplies, or equipment (e.g., dialysis machine) located within 6 feet of symptomatic patients should be disinfected or discarded.

 

What should I do if I or a family member is experiencing Covid-19 symptoms?

If you or anyone in your household are experiencing symptoms, call your dialysis center before your appointment. Tell them that you are concerned that you may have COVID-19. This allows them to take steps necessary to keep others from being exposed.

 

Covid-19 FAQ’s For people on home-hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis:

Can I still carry out my treatments as usual?

Yes, continue your treatments as normal, but to reduce your risk, take the following steps:

• Ask your center how/if you can virtually check in with your clinic team and physician to reduce your risk of exposure.

• Save your masks and gloves for your treatments and avoid sharing masks or gloves with others. Keep enough supplies on hand to perform your treatments. 

• Keep your regular clinic visits but limit non-essential activity in your community including errands, dining out and visiting friends.

• To keep from going through all of your masks too soon, try to only use one mask per day. Immediately dispose of any dirty, wet or damaged masks and use a new one. You can place mask in a paper bag when not wearing. 

 

What should I do if I or a family member is experiencing Covid-19 symptoms?

If you or anyone in your household are experiencing symptoms, call your dialysis center before your appointment. Tell them that you are concerned that you may have COVID-19. This allows them to take steps necessary to keep others from being exposed.

 

Covid-19 FAQ’s For transplant Recipients:

What should I do if I or a family member is experiencing Covid-19 symptoms?

If you or anyone in your household are experiencing symptoms, call your transplant healthcare provider before making an appointment. Tell them that you are concerned that you may have COVID-19. This allows them to take steps necessary to keep others from being exposed. 

As a transplant recipient, how often should my bloodwork be done and how often should my doctor check my cyclosporine trough levels?

Keep your regular and scheduled transplant lab and doctor visits as usual. Continue to limit non-essential activity in your community including errands, dining out and visiting friends.

 

What can I do to prepare for a possible quarantine?

 Make sure you have an adequate supply of your medications food and household essentials. Call your physician and ask for a three-month supply of your transplant medications.

 

COVID-19 Precautions for anyone including people who have chronic kidney disease, are on dialysis, who have a transplant and their families:

 Can you catch Covid-19 from a delivery or mail?
The CDC  the World Health Organization as well as the Surgeon General have indicated that there is currently no evidence that COVID-19 is being spread through the mail.

If you are concerned you should:

• Wipe down packages and letters with disinfectant.

• After wiping, leave them outside or in a garage for 24 hours. Then, to be safe, you can wipe down the inside package as described above.

Links:

USPS Statement on Coronavirus

Fed-Ex Statement on Coronavirus

UPS Statement on Coronavirus

Amazon Statement on Coronavirus

Can my pets catch covid-19?

The CDC has no evidence that imported animals or companion animals, including pets, can spread COVID-19 or that they might be a source of infection. Take these steps to stay healthy around your pets:

• Wash your hands after handling animals, their food, waste, or supplies.

• Practice good pet hygiene and clean up after pets properly.

• Take pets to the veterinarian regularly and talk to your veterinarian if you have questions about your pet’s health.

 

Government Coronavirus FAQ’s Links:

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) FAQ’s page

World Health Organization (WHO) FAQs page

The American Society of Transplantation Covid-19 Information Page

 

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