Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Last updated 23/06/2022

Please see below generalised Covid-19 Government guidance. We regularly update the page in response to any further announcements or developments. For further information, please call our freephone helpline if you would like to chat to one of our advisers about your concerns - 0800 169 09 36

Contents:

Latest Information for Patients
It’s not too late for anyone to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19. First, second, third and booster doses continue to be available. Any questions or concerns can be discussed with the patient’s kidney team. For kidney patients, getting fully vaccinated against COVID-19 is the best way to protect against serious disease, being admitted to hospital or being seriously ill as a result of COVID-19 infection.

Eligibility for Community COVID-19 Treatments
Recently diagnosed patients and those that have had various treatments for kidney disease who cannot be identified digitally in national datasets are being contacted by their consultants as they may potentially be eligible for COVID-19 treatments.

Consultants have been asked to contact all of those who are not digitally identified. Instructions and a template letter which can be adapted for patients is available on the NHS England website.

Patients will need to be referred to a COVID Medicines Delivery Unit (CMDU) if they test positive as they will not show up on CMDU systems automatically.

For more information please visit here.

Moderna to open vaccine research and manufacturing centre in UK
NHS patients to have access to next generation of mRNA vaccines and treatments as Moderna set to build state-of-the-art research and manufacturing centre in the UK. The new mRNA Innovation and Technology Centre will develop cutting-edge mRNA vaccines for a wide range of respiratory diseases, including Covid vaccines that can protect against multiple variants, helping to future-proof the UK against potential emerging health threats. For more information visit here.

Living with COVID - April 2022
The Government has removed the remaining COVID-19 restrictions. This has major implications for people with kidney disease and healthcare professionals. The UK Kidney Association (UKKA) and charity partners have considered these changes and have worked jointly to produce a consensus statement with updates. To view the consensus please visit here.

The Kidney Charities Together group have created a new COVID-19 vaccination guide for kidney patients - 08/04/2022
The guide summarises who is eligible for which vaccination dose/booster, the time frames the vaccinations should take place and how to book. To view click here.

List of COVID-19 Symptoms – 04/04/2022
Symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) in adults can include:

  • a high temperature or shivering (chills) – a high temperature means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
  • a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
  • a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
  • shortness of breath
  • feeling tired or exhausted
  • an aching body
  • a headache
  • a sore throat
  • a blocked or runny nose
  • loss of appetite
  • diarrhoea
  • feeling sick or being sick

The symptoms are very similar to symptoms of other illnesses, such as colds and flu.

Advice for people with symptoms or who test positive for COVID-19 can be found here.

COVID-19 Access to Lateral Flow Tests - 31/03/2022
The Government provided their next steps for living with COVID, the guidelines outline free COVID-19 tests will continue to be available to help protect specific groups.

From 1 April 2022 access to LFT tests will be free to access in England to the following groups should they develop symptoms of COVID-19:

  • People who are eligible for COVID-19 treatments (people with kidney transplants, on dialysis or with CKD Stages 4 or 5)

  • People living or working in some high risk settings for example institutions/care homes where infection needs to be identified quickly to minimise outbreaks

  • People being discharged from hospitals to care homes or hospices

Lateral flow tests will be sent to people at higher risk from COVID to keep at home and use if they develop symptoms of COVID-19 to provide access to the COVID treatments.

The NHS and social care staff will continue to test whether they have symptoms or not.

Free COVID-19 testing has now ended for most people in Scotland.

Free testing has continued in Northern Ireland, the tests are available free of charge from over 500 community pharmacies across Northern Ireland.

In Wales access has been extended to free lateral flow device (LFD) tests until the end of July due to rising cases of Covid across the country. Health minister Eluned Morgan has confirmed that free tests will remain available in Wales until July 31. The tests will be available to the public that are showing symptoms of COVID – such as a high temperature, a new continuous cough, or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – alongside free access for people visiting someone eligible for new COVID-19 treatments.

Spring Booster - 21/03/2022
An additional booster dose will be available for those:

  • aged 75 years and over

  • residents in a care home for older adults

  • individuals aged 12 years and over who are immunosuppressed, as defined in the Green Book

Appointment dates you’ll be offered start from 3 months after your previous dose, but booking an appointment around 6 months after your previous dose is preferable.

This will be a fifth dose for people who are immunosuppressed. Timeframes for the immunosuppressed is stated in the below quote from the Green Book:

The official handbook of vaccinations the Green Book states:
"Immunosuppressed individuals who have received an additional primary dose may have received the booster (fourth) dose more recently. These latter individuals and other eligible people who received their last vaccine more recently should also be offered the booster during the spring campaign providing there is at least three months from the previous dose. This will ensure they have additional protection against a potential summer wave and will align with their peers to facilitate an autumn programme."

People in England can book Spring booster appointments online, attend a walk-in clinic, or telephone 119 to book an appointment. When attend vaccination appointment, you should take medical documents confirming that you were immunosuppressed when you had your last dose.

People in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should receive an invitation for the booster.

This NHS document explains which vaccine doses different groups are currently being offered.

For more information on vaccinations please visit our COVID-19 Vaccination Information section.

For the latest NHS information and advice about COVID-19 including symptoms, testing, vaccination and staying at home visit here.

Government Guidance

England – The government have removed remaining domestic restrictions in England. There are still steps you can take to reduce the risk of catching and spreading COVID-19:

  • Get vaccinated
  • Let fresh air in if meeting indoors, or meet inside
  • Consider wearing a face covering in crowded, enclosed spaces

Wales - Wales have removed the remaining domestic restrictions. GOV Wales outlines the below advice:

Find a summary of the recent and upcoming changes here.

Scotland - All COVID rules and restrictions have been lifted in Scotland. To help protect yourself and others:

  • Get your vaccine when offered to ensure you are fully protected
  • Stay at home if you're unwell with symptoms or have a fever
  • Open windows when socialising indoors
  • Wear a face covering in indoor public spaces and on public transport
  • Wash your hands to protect yourself

Care for yourself and others to help slow down the spread of the virus and reduce pressure on our health services.

Scotland's government guidance can be found here.

Northern Ireland - Northern Ireland's government guidance can be found here.

COVID-19 Treatments

On 1 April 2022 the government changed its policy on COVID-19 testing in England. Patients eligible for COVID-19 treatments will still be able to access lateral flow tests from the government but they will no longer be automatically sent PCR tests. If you were previously sent a PCR test you can keep it, but do not use it unless asked to do so by your NHS team.

You will be sent one initial pack of lateral flow tests to keep at home. This is a test you can do at home and can be used to find out if you have COVID-19. If you have not received the lateral flow tests by 11 April but you think you may be eligible for COVID-19 treatments, you can order a pack at GOV.UK or 119 if needed. The test kits contain instructions and links to support those who need assistance in testing.

You must use lateral flow tests supplied by the government. The results of tests bought privately, such as from a supermarket or pharmacy, cannot currently be registered on GOV.UK and you will not be contacted about treatment if you test positive using these tests.

More Patients to Access Second Ground-Breaking Antiviral - 12/04/2022
Paxlovid has been added to the PANORAMIC national study. It is already available directly through the NHS to those whose immune systems mean they are at higher risk of serious illness who test positive for the virus – including those who are immunocompromised.

The PANORAMIC study makes antivirals available to a large number of patients, whilst collecting further data on how the antivirals work where the majority of the adult population is vaccinated. It ensures antivirals are being used in the most effective way and is crucial in ensuring clinicians have the full information to prescribe antiviral treatments to patients in future.

The study is open to adults over the age of 50 or those aged 18 to 49 with an underlying health condition that can increase the risk of developing severe Covid, who have received a positive Covid test result, and who are experiencing symptoms that started in the previous five days. Read the full press release from the Department of Health and Social Care here.

View and download the Kidney Charities Together guide on what you need to know about COVID-19 treatments. (04/03/2022). If you are not eligible for the treatments you can sign up to the PANORAMIC study.

New Approved Drug by MHRA - Evusheld - 17/03/2022
A new medicine, Evusheld has  been authorised for COVID-19 prevention. Evusheld has been approved for use in adults who are unlikely to mount an immune response from COVID-19 vaccination or for whom vaccination is not recommended.

Evusheld is authorised to be used before being exposed to the risk of COVID-19 infection in order to prevent disease.

We shall await further details on how it will be provided to those people at risk. For the full announcement please visit GOV.UK here.

Treatment Studies
The PANARAMIC Study is open to everyone with ongoing symptoms of COVID-19 and a positive PCR or Lateral Flow test, regardless of vaccination status.

The PROTECT-V study are enrolling patients at particularly high risk of COVID-19. The first drug to be tested to see if it might prevent the disease occurring is intranasal niclosamide. PROTECT-V will enrol patients with kidney or autoimmune diseases, including patients undergoing dialysis, kidney transplant recipients, and individuals with auto-immune conditions receiving immunosuppression.  These are vulnerable populations who are underrepresented in many existing clinical trials.

The Melody Research Study is a large study aiming to assess UK-wide antibody responses following COVID-19 vaccination in the clinically vulnerable patient groups, and aims to include 12,000 adult transplant patients.

At a recent NHSBT clinical steering group meeting, there was a strong wish to include young adult transplant recipients. And NHSBT research advisory group now have approval to do so, with the study opening to 13 to 18 year olds.

Participants can register themselves for the trial via the trial website. Upon confirmation that they are a transplant recipient, a self-test kit is then sent to their parent/guardian at their home address. The results are then uploaded back onto the trial website.

For more information or to sign up to the Melody study please visit here.

RESEARCH AND STUDIES ON CORONAVIRUS

Reducing the Risk of COVID Infection

There are still steps you can take to reduce the risk of catching and spreading COVID-19:

  • Get vaccinated

  • Let fresh air in if meeting indoors, or meet outside

  • Consider wearing a face covering in crowded, enclosed spaces

  • Get tested if you have COVID-19 symptoms, and stay at home if positive. Find out more here.

There is also information from the NHS on how to cope with anxiety surrounding getting 'back to normal'.

Recommendations for Minimising the Risk of Transmission of COVID-19 in UK Adult Haemodialysis Units 

It is important people at highest risk from COVID-19 remain cautious. For more information on working from home and precautionary measures find out more here.

Please find below some supportive links for the people whose immune system means they are at higher risk:

In England

In Scotland

In Wales

In Northern Ireland

COVID-19 Vaccination Information

ENGLAND - COVID-19 VACCINATION

Book your COVID-19 vaccination appointments here 

The Kidney Charities Together group have created a new COVID-19 vaccination guide for kidney patients - 08/04/2022
The guide summarises who is eligible for which vaccination dose/booster, the time frames the vaccinations should take place and how to book. To view click here.

1st and 2nd Dose 

You can use this service to book a 1st or 2nd dose of the vaccine if you or your child are aged 5 years old or over.

You should be able to book a 2nd dose on the day after your 1st dose. If you or your child are:

  • 18 years old or over - you'll be offered 2nd dose appointments from 8 weeks after your 1st dose

  • under 18 years old - you'll be offered 2nd dose appointments from 12 weeks after your 1st dose.

How to get an earlier 2nd dose if you're under 18 years old and at-risk 

If you or your child are under 18 years old and at high risk from COVID-19 you're eligible for a 2nd dose from 8 weeks after your 1st dose.

However, this service will only offer you appointments from 12 weeks after your 1st dose.

To get your 2nd dose from 8 weeks, please either:

  • contact your GP surgery

  • go to a walk-in site with a letter from a GP that says you're eligible for a 2nd dose from 8 weeks after your 1st dose

Additional primary doses for people with a severely weakened immune system

People who had a severely weakened immune system when they had their 1st or 2nd dose will be offered an additional 3rd primary dose of the vaccine followed by a booster (4th dose) and booster (5th dose).

You can use this service to book to book an additional primary dose for people with a severely weakened immune system aged 12 years old or over.

Read more about the COVID-19 vaccine for people with a severely weakened immune system.

When you can book an additional primary dose (3rd dose)
You'll be able to book an additional primary dose (3rd dose) when it’s been 26 days since your 2nd dose.

The appointment dates you'll be offered will start from 8 weeks (56 days) after your 2nd dose.

Things you’ll need to bring to your vaccination appointment:

Someone at the site will talk to you and check your evidence to make sure you're eligible.

Examples of things you can bring to show you're eligible include:

  • a letter from your GP or hospital specialist inviting you to get the 3rd dose for people with a severely weakened immune system

  • a hospital letter that describes the condition or treatment that caused you to have a severely weakened immune system at the time of your 1st or 2nd dose

  • a prescription or a medicine box with your name and the date showing when the medicine was prescribed - this must show that you had a severely weakened immune system at the time of your 1st or 2nd dose

Boosters
You can book a booster dose if you or your child are either:

  • aged 16 years old or over

Spring Boosters
You can book a spring booster if you or your child are either:

The appointment dates you'll be offered start from 3 months (91 days) after your previous dose, but booking an appointment around 6 months after your previous dose is preferable to get maximum protection from a spring booster.

Advice for children aged 12 to 15 years old and their parents or guardians 

A set of COVID-19 vaccination resources for children and young people are available on GOV.UK in a variety of languages, Braille and Easy Read. These resources are to help children, young people and their parents or guardians make a decision about whether to get vaccinated.

There's also a list of pre-screening questions on GOV.UK to help you and your child consider what is likely to be asked at your appointment. You do not need to complete this before you go.

Consent to treatment is an important part of the process. A consent form is available on GOV.UK to help you and your child discuss this decision, but you do not need to print or bring the form with you. Staff at the vaccination site will ask for consent before giving the vaccine.

If you’ve had a positive COVID-19 test result, you need to wait before getting any dose of the vaccine. You need to:

  • wait 4 weeks (28 days) if you're aged 18 years old or over

  • wait 12 weeks (84 days) if you're aged 5 to 17 years old

  • wait 4 weeks (28 days) if you're aged 5 to 17 years old and at high-risk from COVID-19

This starts from the date that symptoms started, or the date of the positive test result, whichever was earlier.

If your child has symptoms of COVID-19, but has not had a test, they should wait until their symptoms are better to get a COVID-19 vaccine. You can talk to a healthcare professional at the site about this.

SCOTLAND - VACCINATIONS
Find out who can get the COVID-19 vaccine here 

Public Health Scotland has created a resource centre where you can find information about the Covid-19 vaccination, including where they'll be administered.

WALES - VACCINATIONS
Find out who can get the COVID-19 vaccine here

The Welsh government has revealed the locations of vaccination centres across the country.

NORTHERN IRELAND – VACCINATIONS
Find out who can get a COVID-19 vaccine here

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have approved three Covid-19 vaccinations. The first vaccine to be approved has been developed by Pfizer-BioNTech.

The second vaccine has been developed by Oxford-AstraZeneca and roll-out started in the UK on Monday 4th January 2021.

The third vaccine has been produced by Moderna. The first dose was administered in Wales on 7th April 2021.

Travel

England - Travel information for people in England. 

Scotland - Travel rules and information for people in Scotland.

Wales - Travel information for people in Wales.

Northern Ireland - Travel advice for people in Northern Ireland.

Dialysis Away From Base (DAFB) - A joint statement from professional and patient societies can be read here

Working Safely - Information for Employers

Public Health Guidance for Employers and Safe at Work Letter Updated 29/04/2022

Public health guidance has been published for employers in England to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. The Safe at Work Letter can be shared with employers to support discussions on safety at work.

Northern Ireland Guidance – View here

Scotland Guidance – View here

Wales Guidance – View here

Shielding Ends

Shielding programme ends for the most vulnerable – 15/09/2021
Guidance for people previously considered clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19 - 24/12/2021
The shielding programme ended in England on 15 September 2021.

This means that people who were previously considered clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) will not be advised to shield in the future or follow specific guidance.

This is because we know a lot more about the virus and what makes someone more or less vulnerable to COVID-19, the vaccine continues to be successfully rolled out, and treatments are becoming available. If your immune system means you are at higher risk from COVID-19, there is specific guidance for you (including a definition of what this means).

NKF Lanyards, Facemasks and COVID-19 Perspective Guidance on Home Dialysis

The NKF lanyards are available on the NKF online shop for people to wear when out in public and to remind others to social distance.

To order our lanyards or NKF branded face masks please visit here or call 01909 544999 where you can place your order and we can take payment by card.

There is strong evidence that patients who dialyse at home are able to protect themselves better from the pandemic compared to patients who dialyse in a centre.

It is for this reason, the National Kidney Federation (NKF) is running a campaign to increase the incidence of home dialysis across the country and this pamphlet has been put together to help you to understand the issues that you should think about if you are considering home dialysis.

Read ‘A COVID-19 Perspective on Home Dialysis’ here.

Webinars

Living with COVID-19 Webinar 21st April 2022
A community webinar chaired by Pascoe Sawyers, External Affairs Lead, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) took place on 21st April. 

You can view the webinar here.

Vaccination Webinar 7th February 2022 
NKF partnered with Kidney Care UK, Kidney Research UK, Kidney Wales, Polycystic Kidney Disease Charity and UK Kidney Association to deliver a webinar regarding the developments in our knowledge about the Covid vaccines and treatments. We were joined by Dr Andrew Frankel, Dr Rebecca Suckling, Professor Liz Lightstone and Professor Richard Haynes.

You can view the webinar here.

Vaccination webinar 29th June 2021
NKF partnered with Kidney Care UK, Kidney Research UK, Polycystic Kidney Disease Charity and UK Kidney Association to deliver a webinar regarding the developments in our knowledge about the Covid vaccines and how people with suppressed immune systems are responding, as well as a discussion about how to return to normal activities and cope with anxiety as restrictions ease. We were joined by four kidney doctors, Dr Rebecca Suckling from Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust, Dr Andrew Frankel, Dr Steve McAdoo, and Dr Michelle Willicombe from Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. 

You can view the webinar here.

Further Information and Support 

The NKF partnered with Kidney Research UK in 2021 to fund a study to discover how well COVID-19 vaccinations work in people who go to hospital for dialysis.

News about the work NHS Blood and Transplant are doing to reduce the impact of coronavirus

We have put together some information to help you cope with stress and anxiety during these uncertain times.

Long Covid and the Covid Recovery Service 
The online service NHS Your Covid Recovery is for those who have had Covid and want to understand what has happened and what you might expect as part of your recovery.

If you think you have Covid symptoms you can use the NHS 111 assessment.

Further general information and daily updates can be found on the GOV.UK.

Information and guidance for renal professionals.

The Kidney Quality Improvement Partnership (KQuIP) has produced an animated video about receiving haemodialysis during the pandemic.

Published:

Updated:

Author: Stephen Emmerson

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