Redefining Dialysis Facility Recommendations for Infection Prevention and Control during the Covid-19 Outbreak

In December 2019, pneumonia cases of unknown aetiology were reported in Wuhan, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China (PRC). Its clinical symptoms are similar to those of viral pneumonia. After analysis on respiratory samples, PRC Centers for Disease Control (CDC) experts declared that pneumonia was caused by a highly contagious novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2.) The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the ongoing outbreak as a global public health emergency. Furthermore, advised, in the absence of any apparent pharmaceutical intervention, that the only strategy against (SARS-CoV-2) is to reduce the mixing of susceptible and infectious people through early ascertainment of cases or reduction of contact. Over the last month, the number of cases has risen rapidly in South Korea, Japan, Europe, and the United States. New cases are being diagnosed in the Middle East region. This is even more critical for hemodialysis patients who need maintenance hemodialysis sessions thrice-weekly, which are routinely done in close proximity to other patients in the small space of hemodialysis units. Herein, we report the opinion of a group of nephrologists with the hope that this will serve as a guideline to prepare the nephrology community to deal with this impending danger.