Coronavirus and Home Dialysis: Staying Healthy

If you’re doing home peritoneal or home hemodialysis, it’s very important to take steps to protect your health and prevent infection from coronavirus (COVID-19).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cautions that people with underlying medical conditions—including people on dialysis, people with diabetes, and people ages 65 and older—are at high risk for severe illness from coronavirus.

In addition to taking steps to avoid infection like staying home as much as possible, washing your hands often, and making sure you’re getting the support you need, there are some new guidelines for you and your care team to follow. Remember, your care team is here for you at every step. Please ask questions anytime you have them.

1. All individuals should have a 30-day supply of antibacterial pump soap, hand sanitizer, and face masks at home.
2. If you or a family member develops fever, cough, or other symptoms, please contact your home nurse by phone for further instructions. Do not come to the center.
3. For required in-person center visits, all individuals will be asked about fever, cough, and foreign travel. All patients and visitors entering the center will be required to wear a mask.
4. Any employee visiting your home to provide service to equipment or for any other reason will be required to wear a mask before entering. Visitors should perform hand hygiene upon entering and before leaving your home. You should also wear a mask during the visit and perform hand hygiene.
5. Any person delivering dialysis equipment or supplies should also wear a mask before entering. Visitors should perform hand hygiene upon entering and before leaving your home. You should also wear a mask during the delivery and perform hand hygiene.
6. Home visits will be minimized at this time. If you require a home visit, you and your family will be required to wear a mask as well as anyone entering your home. All participants will be required to perform good hand hygiene.
7. Equipment swaps will continue to be provided as needed. Biomedical support will continue to be provided, but routine machine maintenance may be rescheduled.
8. If you or a family member test positive for coronavirus or are in quarantine, you will still receive needed care. If you are healthy, we will try to keep you at home. If one of our employees visits during this time, they will wear personal protective equipment and you and your family will be required to wear a mask.