The more than 37 million adults in the U.S. who are living with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are among those at the highest risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19 infection. Due to their “increased risk of severe morbidity and mortality,” the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) has issued a statement to urge the federal government to prioritize vaccination for CKD patients.* 

Moreover, the NKF provides three action items to ensure success in getting the CKD community vaccinated for COVID-19:

• Building vaccine distribution infrastructure
• Additional research on vaccine safety and efficacy for CKD patients
• Reducing vaccine hesitancy 

Vaccine distribution

More than 500,000 people in the U.S. rely on dialysis to survive. Nearly 90% of them receive their treatments in dialysis centers. Due to the amount of time dialysis patients spend in these centers, the facilities are practical locations for administering patient vaccines. The centers may not be equipped with adequate supplies and storage, however, to provide the protection necessary for this vulnerable population. 

In its statement, the NKF urges the government to:

• Prioritize kidney patients, transplant recipients, caregivers, and dialysis center staff in the vaccine rollout plan
• Partner with states to prompt vaccine dissemination

Careful research on safety and efficacy

While the NKF voiced appreciation for the speed and vigor with which the public and private sectors collaborated to produce safe, viable vaccines, the COVID-19 vaccines were not widely tested in people living with CKD or receiving renal replacement therapy (RRT). 

The NKF calls on policymakers, manufacturers, and developers to collect health surveillance data on the vaccines’ safety and efficacy among kidney patients to ensure beneficial outcomes and inform vaccine development going forward.

Addressing vaccine hesitancy 

Both kidney disease and COVID-19 disproportionately affect Black, African American, Hispanic, and Latino communities. Recent survey data contributed by the COVID Collaborative, Langer Research, Unidos US, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) demonstrates low levels of trust in COVID-19 vaccines among these racial and ethnic groups. Among Black and African American adults, only 14% “completely or mostly trust that a vaccine will be safe.” 

The NKF recommends that federal, state, and local policymakers engage with leaders and public health professionals of color and follow their recommendations as to how to increase trust and reduce vaccine hesitancy in these communities. 

You can read the full position statement on the National Kidney Foundation website.

*National Kidney Foundation. (2020, Dec. 17). Statement on Kidney Patient Prioritization for COVID-19 Vaccines and Therapeutics. https://www.kidney.org/news/statement-kidney-patient-prioritization-covid-19-vaccines-and-therapeutics