COVID-19 Prevention and Control in Dialysis Centers during the Pandemic: A Single-Center Experience

Abstract

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is highly contagious and is now a tragic pandemic. Maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients are susceptible to COVID-19 and more prone to develop into severe cases because of the older age, heavy comorbidities, and impaired immunity. Patients who receive in-center dialysis have to travel to and from dialysis centers; patients have to share the dialysis hall with others during dialysis, making the prevention and control of COVID-19 in dialysis centers different from that in community and more difficult. This article provides key points in coping with COVID-19 in dialysis centers during this pandemic based on experience: (1) enforcing infection control management of dialysis centers, (2) training of hemodialysis patients and medical staffs, (3) screening for COVID-19 among patients and medical staffs, and (4) providing graded isolated dialysis to close contacts, suspected cases, and confirmed cases of COVID-19. We hope our single-center experience can be referenced by other dialysis centers around the world in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.