Covid-19 precautions in hemodialysis patients

Dr. İpek Nurdan Dikmen, responsible for the Dialysis Technician Associate Program at the Faculty of Health Sciences at Cyprus International University warned that those with chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases are more susceptible to COVID-19 infection due to the weaker immune system.

Dikmen reminded that there is currently no effective antiviral medication or vaccine in the treatment of COVID-19, so the best way to protect ourselves from the infection is to avoid exposure to this virus.

Apart from the dialysis days, the dialysis patients should stay at home said Dikmen and mentioned the importance of using individual means of transportation instead of using public transportation while traveling to and from the dialysis centers.

It was emphasized that parents, grandparents that have gone through dialysis should avoid personal contact especially with their children and grandchildren because young population can often be a carrier of the disease without symptoms.

Dr. Dikmen stated that all family members living with dialysis patients should do regular temperature checks to prevent transmission of COVID-19 from person to person and within the family. She pointed out that it would be beneficial that dialysis patients inform the experts at the centers about their symptoms before coming to dialysis centers if they have fever, cough, and shortness of breath.

Underlining that some precautions should be taken to prevent the COVID-19 outbreak, Dikmen continued as follows: “When coughing or sneezing, it is important to use tissue paper or napkins to cover the nose and mouth and to put them in trash cans with lids”.

In particular, hands should be washed with soap and water for at least 30 seconds after wearing a mask, before eating, after wiping, coughing or sneezing or before going to the toilet.

In the absence of soap and water, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 70% alcohol should be used.

It should be avoided to contact with the eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Surfaces used frequently (including phones, computers, tablets, wheelchairs, car handles, etc.) and other items should be cleaned and disinfected regularly.