Arushi Bidhuri
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Written By: Arushi Bidhuri | Updated : February 6, 2021 8:15 AM IST
Kidney patients on dialysis are at a higher risk of dying after COVID-19 infection
While COVID-19 can affect anyone, some groups are more vulnerable to the coronavirus infection. Available studies suggest that people with comorbidities like heart diseases, chronic kidney disease, etc. are at a higher risk of getting infected with the virus. A new study has found that people undergoing dialysis are at 4-fold greater risk of dying.
The study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) found that people undergoing long-term dialysis are four times more likely to die from COVID-19. For the study, the team analyzed the data of 12,501 patients undergoing long-term dialysis, of whom 187 were diagnosed with SARS-Cov-2 infection. Of these, 53 people died, and 117 were admitted to the hospital. They also found that uninfected people receiving dialysis during the time had a death rate of 5.8 per cent and a hospitalization rate of 27 per cent.
According to the researchers of the study, these patients should be prioritized for vaccination. They insist on focusing efforts to protect this population from infection, including prioritizing patients on long-term dialysis. It was also reported that the number of people on dialysis infected with the virus has risen to over 570 and the numbers of deaths has increased to 120.
When coronavirus attacks your body, a cascade of viral, infectious particles enters your system through the nose, eyes, or mouth. When you breathe, these particles slowly reach the lower respiratory tract where the spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2 lock into the respiratory passageways. Since it takes longer to detect the disease, COVID-19, it becomes easier for the virus to hijack the cells, and multiply in number. The only way to stop these ACE2 proteins from wreaking havoc on your body is a strong immune system that produces antibodies that help kick the disease to its curb.
However, patients suffering from chronic kidney disease or undergoing dialysis have a weaker immune system, making it difficult for them to fight infections. Experts advise kidney patients to continue regularly scheduled dialysis treatments and taking necessary precautions as recommended by their doctors.
The Drug Controller General of India recently gave emergency permission for two vaccines, Covishield and Covaxin, to prevent COVID-19. While both the vaccines are believed to be safe for use, it is recommended to consult your doctor before taking any COVID vaccine. This is because there is no information about the safety of the vaccine-specific to people undergoing dialysis.
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