COVID-19 and Transplant Patients

Like you, I have been taking the same precautions. I have friends delivering groceries, and I am fortunate to be able to work from home. I had my first COVID-era every-three-month tacro+cbc blood draw at my local clinic today -- wearing a poorly-fitting N95 mask and a surgical mask on top, putting my clothes in the washer and taking a shower immediately upon returning home. I keep my mail in two alternating boxes in the garage, and I luckily snagged one package of four packs of Kirkland disinfectant wipes right before the buying rush to clean anything that arrives at my house. As much as I'd like to support local restaurants with curbside pickup, I can't bring myself to do so. I love to travel, and, since that's on hold indefinitely, I'm relegated to listing to airline boarding music (https://onemileatatime.com/airline-boarding-music/), though only after coincidentally seeing this blog post. I am walking outside regularly without a mask, since it's fairly easy to keep 6' distant from anyone I might encounter in my small town neighborhood. I have also been trying to keep tabs on studies related to treating COVID on those taking immunosuppressants...

Would you be able to link some of those studies? What drug regiment are kidney transplant patients on these days.

Hi, @cdrice. Welcome to Mayo Connect. As a recipient, I am glad that you have joined and shared your recent experience and precautions as you ventured out to get your labs drawn. I had to venture out myself at end of April. I go to a small diagnostic center, and before I went I made a phone call so I knew what I would encounter as it was my first outing. I was really pleased with how well the clinic was taking precautions.

I had a liver and kidney transplant 11 years ago . Like @guidant07, I am interested in any links that you find related to the Covid and transplant. I currently am takinf tacrolimus and cellcept.
I am retired and so I can easily stay at home. What organ did you receive? Have you always worked at home, or is this a new arrangement due to the coronavirus?

@cdrice we too have not ordered take-out. They say food is safe, just move the food to other dishes, dispose of the containers, and wash your hands, but we just feel it’s not worth the risk. I can see myself giving in to it at some point though, particularly if this lasts the 18-24 months that I have seen predicted.

I had to have my blood work done the first week of April so I was very concerned about that but it was handled fairly well. I go every two months so I will be going again in a few weeks.

I think it will be a long time before we travel again. We had a Caribbean vacation to St. Martin scheduled the first week of March but a few days before we were due to leave I was advised by two departments at Mass General, my transplant hospital, to not go so of course we didn’t. The best we could do with the expenses we had already incurred (flights and hotel 3 night deposit) was a credit that has to be used within a year. That’s not going to happen.

I have been trying to keep track of info on COVID and transplant patients too but this is still so new that it changes and is inconsistent. It does seem as if we can get infected more easily, but if infected our prognosis is fairly similar to others.
JK

Thank you so much for your input. Jackie has been doing the same. Fortunately she only has to do this job for three more weeks. How is you transplant doing?

I want to share 2 resources about COVID-19 for transplant recipients from the American Society for Transplantation

-Information for Transplant Recipients and Candidates
https://www.myast.org/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-frequently-asked-questions-transplant-candidates-and-recipients

I was particularly interested in this video that includes: Precautions and Prevention; Balance and Being Cautious; Work or living with someone who is working; Vaccine; organ donation and transplant.
-COVID-19 and the Transplant Community: Answering Your Questions - A Discussion with Infectious Disease Specialists
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp-9rIk_sYo&feature=youtu.be&t=1

Great webinar!! Thank you so much for making this available to the transplant community. I am 39 years into my kidney transplant and the covid-19 has caused a lot of anxiety. thank you

I am worrying about going into my lab to get blood check. I had asoike in my creatin in March after 39 years. You gave me some encouragement to get in! I was suppose be going in every month through the summer but with the covid-19 I felt it too risky. Will call them Monday for a appointment.

I have tried to live a somewhat normal life without all the extras if you know what I mean.

Jackie made it through her first week back at work with the children. She has a routine going now with clothes go right in the washer and her in the shower. Miss hugs and kisses though. Only four more weeks till the end of the school year.