The Biden administration on Thursday announced new plans to allocate Covid-19 vaccines to dialysis centers nationwide. This new partnership with dialysis clinics is an effort to vaccinate people receiving dialysis, as well as health care staff at outpatient dialysis clinics.
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, applauded the partnership in a written statement Thursday, saying she is “proud” that CDC has partnered with dialysis providers to support to the vaccination of most dialysis patients. and health personnel.
“This effort is another important step in ensuring that vaccines reach the most medically vulnerable communities and that equity continues to anchor our efforts to end the COVID-19 pandemic,” Walensky said in the statement.
Dialysis is used to treat people with kidney failure, which affects more than half a million people in the United States, and most people go to a dialysis center for treatment.
“Each year, more than 550,000 people receive regular dialysis treatments through the Medicare End-of-Liver Disease Program. The effort of dialysis partners will incorporate Medicare-participating clinics to administer COVID-19 vaccines to their patients and workers, ”Walensky said. , adding that dialysis facilities already have “old” experience in administering vaccines, such as flu and hepatitis B vaccines.
Walensky added that people on dialysis usually have more severe outcomes when they contract Covid-19, half require hospitalization and 20% to 30% die, he said.
“In addition, advanced chronic kidney disease disproportionately affects racial and ethnic minorities, including African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans / Alaska Indians,” Walensky said. “Dialysis clinics provide an innovative and reliable way to help COVID-19 vaccines reach populations that have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
In response, the U.S. nonprofit kidney fund issued a statement Thursday applauding the White House’s decision to distribute Covid-19 vaccines to dialysis centers. The American Society of Nephrology tweeted a link to the White House announcement about the dialysis program, calling it “big news.”