European studies have shown that kidney transplant patients are more exposed to the virus than lung or heart patients. Nephrologist and President of Luxembourg Transplant, Prof. Dr. Claude Braun, says that the risk is three to four-times higher compared to a healthy person. As a result, they should be first in line when vaccine rollouts continue, they say.
“Other risk-category people can say ‘I’ll just isolate at home’, but dialysis patients are forced to leave their homes at least three times a week, are in contact with drivers and people at the hospital. They can’t survive without a dialysis”, says Dr. Tom Buck. Another important argument to prioritise these patients.
Michèle Frantz, 32, who received a kidney transplant in 2009, has been isolated at here grandmother’s house since March. She rarely leaves home and does not receive guests. The medicine she takes reduces her immune strength and is hence very prone to catching the virus. Life has literally come to a standstill, says Frantz.
“There is this fear. Every step I have to take outside, whether it’s the doctor or to the hospital because I need to do something, is a risk. Even if I wear my mask and keep distance. But you never know.” Frantz hopes that despite her young age she will be prioritised by the government to get the vaccine.
The death rate of chronic dialysis patients is high, the Luxembourg Transplant asbl and Luxembourg Society for Nephrology state in a letter to the Ministry of Health, demanding their patients are vaccinated for Covid-19 as soon as possible.
Until today there has been no information on when patients will receive the jab, something both doctors regret. Jean-Claude Flohr, a patient, has been coming to Kirchberg hospital for the last 15 months awaiting a kidney transplant. The pandemic has pulled the handbrake on his operation. A special examination in Brussels in spring was cancelled, rescheduled for April. Whether that meeting will take place he doesn’t know.
Doctors are ready to vaccinate patients themselves at the hospital, should the health ministry be able to provide vaccines to the department and greenlight the operation.
