Kidney Transplant & COVID-19
Kidney Transplant & COVID-19 Patients Guidelines
You must know a few facts about kidney transplant recipients, then only you can understand the implications. These patients are continuously required to take immunosuppressive drugs. Therefore, they have a higher risk of infection from corona virus or any other simple virus, such as cold or flu. To lower the chances of getting the coronavirus, kidney transplant patients should follow the CDC’s guidelines. They know how to avoid catching or spreading viruses. Moreover, they can contact their doctors, if they develop symptoms of COVID-19.
Are post-transplant patients at higher risk from contracting the disease?
Yes, this is a relevant question. If you have just undergone kidney transplant and staying with family members. You should be cautious of members who have contracted the disease. There might be additional sanitization norms for such patients.
How can I get emergency kidney treatment?
You should keep your dialysis center number handy. In case, you face a situation where you need dialysis, call them up. They will schedule you, if it is urgent or else they will recommend you to the nearest center.
Moreover, during this time, you should have food with low sodium and potassium. It increases the risk all the more.
Do the transplant kidney patients and donors get affected by the virus?
As already told, kidney transplant patients are at a higher risk of contracting Covid -19. However, the risk comes after the surgery. You cannot get the virus from donors. Donors are properly screened. Moreover, living donors are asked to stay in 14 days’ isolation to avoid the contamination themselves.
However, if things go awry then the below symptoms do crop up.
Cold symptoms
Sore Throat
Fever
Less urine generation
Weight imbalance
Pain over transplant area
What should I know about medicines and treatments?
As reported worldwide, there is no miracle cure. No patients can be cured overnight. It depends on the patient’s immune system in totality. In fact, research on vaccinations are underway. There has been no concrete success on the same.
What are the Prevention tips Kidney Transplant & COVID-19 ?
It is very important, that you take proper care of yourself. You can undergo routine tests. Moreover, you can also get your urine samples checked. If there is no option for home testing, you need to go to the lab to give your samples. All healthcare areas are sanitizing their equipment and machinery before staring tests. So, you can be privy to that. Moreover, they are using PPEs while interacting with customers and patients. You yourself can wear a mask. Also, come back home and wash properly. Use hand sanitizers, wherever possible. Moreover, you have to be well prepared.
You should buy extra supplies, that includes masks and disposable gloves. This is to enable you to fight the virus, should you come into contact with someone at a medical center or someone in your locality. Also remember to disinfect touched surfaces such as doorknobs and countertops.
Will there be any drugs supply delays in future?
There is no report on drug supply delays yet. However, if people like you start hoarding drugs and medicines, there might be. The government is aiming at maintain a steady supply of all necessary medicines. Moreover, the Food and Drug Administration is keeping a close watch on drug supply and management. So, you need not worry. Just, buy what has been prescribed to you. Do not change the medicines without speaking to your doctor.
Are you feeling stressed out and depressed?
It is natural for those, who have been diagnosed with chronic kidney diseases to feel scared. Moreover, there are other patients as well, like those on dialysis, kidney transplants patients and donors to feel depressed. The most that you can do in such cases is to maintain the sanitization norms that the government has advised. WHO has some great ways for helping you to manage your stress and anxiety. They have even started helplines to assist you.
Do any of the kidney medications increase the risk from COVID-19?
Yes, it is true. Those who have co-morbidities are at a higher risk of the infection. Cancer patients and those on this drug are at a higher risk. These medicines and drugs reduce the body’s immune system. The immune system becomes powerless. Oral steroids taken as a part of the treatment also reduce the bodies normal immune power. Moreover, if you are taking it for a longer time, it becomes all the more evident.
Are other medical conditions responsible for aggravation?
The Covid -19 virus aggravates the satiation even more. The virus that causes the disease infects people of all ages. They are the older people over sixty years old. Then people with medical conditions such as heart diseases, diabetes, asthma, other respiratory disease, and cancer. The risk of severe disease gradually increases with age starting from midlife. It is important that adults in this group save themselves from the virus. WHO is advising older people to meet people, if necessary without touching. Ask everyone to wash hands for 20 seconds. They should clean their clothes and body regularly with disinfectant soap.
What are various modes of distancing like?
They are self-isolation, quarantine and distancing. The self-isolation refers to separate and stay away in a room or a far off place. You should not talk or interact with anyone. They may be infected.
Quarantine means restricting all your activities. These are people with exposure to Covid conditions. They may not be infected yet but taking precaution. They may carry symptoms.
Physical distancing means distancing norms for normal people. You should follow these norms when visiting markets and other public places.
Can children catch the disease?
Children and teens are also at a higher risk just like older adults and kidney patients. So, you must ensure to keep them well-protected. These groups should follow the same guidelines as followed by other members of the community. Do not allow children to play with other children from the community. This is a prerequisite. So, take care to follow it without fail.