COVID-19 Infection risk among hemodialysis patients in long-term care facilities
Autor
Liu, Christine K.
Ghai, Sandeep
Waikar, Sushrut S.
Weiner, Daniel E.
Institución
Resumen
COVID-19 is killing at horrific rates in long-term care facilities.1
In
Massachusetts, 65% of COVID-19 fatalities have been long-term care residents as of July
21, 2020,2
Like their long-term care counterparts, hemodialysis patients are at high-risk
for COVID-19, with extensive comorbidity, care in a congregate setting, and frequent
interactions with health professionals. The best tool against COVID-19 is physical
distancing. Yet this is challenging for hemodialysis patients and long-term care residents,
especially for those who are both. Hemodialysis treatments occur in a congregate setting,
and many travel to the dialysis facility via public/shared transport or ambulance. Some
are non-ambulatory, requiring human assistance for basic activities such as getting
dressed. In long-term care, rooms and bathrooms are often shared. For those
hemodialysis patients who reside in long-term care, the burden of both settings makes
COVID-19 exposure extremely likely. Notably, the first two identified U. S. COVID-19
fatalities were hemodialysis patients, one of whom lived in long-term care.