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Taking Immunosuppressants? Fauci Says Get the COVID-19 Vaccine

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“Three researchers presented results on COVID-19 therapies and data of importance to patients with hematological conditions.

Patients with compromised immune systems, whether due to chemotherapy or a bone marrow transplant, should plan to be vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) when they have the chance, Anthony Fauci, MD, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert, said Saturday.

Fauci, who in January will serve a seventh president as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), told the online audience gathered for the 62nd annual American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting that on balance, being vaccinated makes sense for the immunosuppressed, including the patients treated by ASH members.”

“It is clear that if you are on immunosuppressant agents, history tells us that you are not going to have as robust a response as if you had an intact immune system that was not being compromised,” Fauci said, in response to a question from ASH President Stephanie Lee, MD, of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle. “But some degree of immunity is better than no degree of immunity. So, for me, it would be recommended that these people do get vaccinated.”

Read the full article, here.

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FDA Advisory Panel Endorses Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine

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“A panel of outside experts on Thursday recommended the Food and Drug Administration issue an emergency use authorization to the Covid-19 vaccine being developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, a vaccine that appeared to be highly efficacious in a Phase 3 clinical trial.

The 17-4 vote came after a long day in which members of the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, or VRBPAC, discussed a wide range of issues related to the vaccine, including concerns about vaccinating people with severe allergies and 16- and 17-year-olds, as well as issues regarding vaccination during pregnancy or lactation.

Although the FDA does not have to follow the panel’s recommendation, it is widely expected to do so.”

Read the full article, here.

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Kentuckians Need Congress to Approve Lifesaving Bill for Kidney Transplant Recipients

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“The COVID-19 public health emergency has revealed painful weaknesses, inefficiencies and inequalities in our health care system. As a result, the public is looking to elected leaders to enact policies that improve our health system, protect at-risk populations and allocate government resources more wisely. Fortunately, there is a bipartisan, common-sense proposal in Congress that could achieve all of those goals for a particularly vulnerable part of the American population: kidney transplant recipients.”

Read the full article, here.

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Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech is Strongly Effective, Early Data from Large Trial Indicate

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“Pfizer and partner BioNTech said Monday that their vaccine against Covid-19 was strongly effective, exceeding expectations with results that are likely to be met with cautious excitement — and relief — in the face of the global pandemic.

The vaccine is the first to be tested in the United States to generate late-stage data. The companies said an early analysis of the results showed that individuals who received two injections of the vaccine three weeks apart experienced more than 90% fewer cases of symptomatic Covid-19 than those who received a placebo. For months, researchers have cautioned that a vaccine that might only be 60% or 70% effective.”

Read the full article, here.

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Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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“Travel increases your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19. Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.”

You can read all the recent updates and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on traveling during COVID-19, here.

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New Records Set for Organ Donation and Transplantation Despite Pandemic

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“INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Despite the COVID-19 pandemic – and with more than two months remaining in 2020 – a record number of Hoosier organ donors have already given the gift of life through Indiana Donor Network, resulting in a record number of lifesaving organs transplanted in a single calendar year.

From Jan. 1 through Oct. 12, 2020, Indiana Donor Network, the state’s federally designated organ recovery organization, made it possible for 667 lifesaving organs to go to patients on the national transplant waiting list. This total breaks Indiana Donor Network’s existing record of 665 lifesaving organs transplanted in all of 2019 and puts the organization on pace to facilitate 28% more organ transplants this year than last year.”

Read the full article by Indiana Donor Network, here.

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A Kidney International “Journal of the COVID-19 Year” in Kidney Transplantation

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“The global COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on kidney transplant recipients and transplantation programs in the calamitous months of February to June 2020, the Northern Hemisphere Spring to Summer, is represented in articles published in the December issue of Kidney International. Writing about another pandemic in the year of 1665 over 300 years ago the author Daniel Defoe describes the same period of time in London and gives a remarkably familiar description of how a pandemic affects populations, including the unproven treatments, epidemiology of infection and human response to restrictions on freedom of city lockdowns that occurred during that time (1). The risks, outcomes, epidemiology and potential treatments for the kidney transplant population worldwide during the past 12 months have been thankfully studied in detail by multiple authors, and form the subject of papers in KI this month”

Read the full article on kidney INTERNATIONAL, here.

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COVID-19 Infection in Kidney Transplant Recipients at the Epicenter of Pandemics

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“Following the first case of coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the USA in January 2020, New York quickly became the epicenter of the pandemic in March and April 2020. Initial results from 3 centers in New York reported a high mortality rate of 20%-39% in hospitalized patients 1, 2, 3. Kidney transplant recipients are expected to be at an increased risk of complications from COVID-19 not only due to their chronic immunosuppression but also frequently associated comorbidities including older age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease.”

Read the full study on kidney INTERNATIONAL, here.

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CKD Pantry Staples: Be Prepared During the Pandemic

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“Grocery shopping has become an increasing challenge during this pandemic.  When you have CKD, wondering what to buy when food supplies may be limited can be overwhelming.  Buying staples that fit your CKD needs while maintaining your budget can be challenging.  This tip sheet will help you with some ideas if you can’t get fresh or frozen items.”

Read the full blog post on KIDNEYCHEF and see the list of staple, here.

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UNOS: COVID-19 Update

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“On Oct. 28, two new diagnosis codes for lung candidates and two new diagnosis codes for heart candidates will be added to UNetSM. Additionally, there will be an update to an existing code available for heart candidates. The purpose of adding these options is to specify when COVID-19 related organ failure is the cause for lung and heart candidate listings.”

Read the full update by UNOS, here.

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