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- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Al Khor Hospital, Al Khor, Qatar [1]
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Al Wakra Hospital, Al Wakra, Qatar [1]
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar E-mail: [email protected] [1]
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Hazm Mebaireek General Hospital, Doha, Qatar [1]
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National response to the COVID-19 Omicron variant crisis in the ambulatory hemodialysis service in the State of Qatar
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant worldwide impact since its emergence in 2019. End-stage kidney disease patients have been among the most vulnerable population affected and have a higher risk of acquiring infection and developing more severe disease. We have encountered three major COVID-19 waves in Qatar and they have required different strategies to overcome. The most recent wave was due to the Omicron variant characterized by higher transmissibility. The monthly incidence of COVID-19 infection during the Omicron wave in patients with end-stage renal disease peaked at 256 patients compared to 35 and 39 patients during the first and second waves respectively. In addition more than one-third of our dialysis staff became infected during this wave. Unlike the previous two waves COVID-19 due to the Omicron variant was less severe with only 5% of hemodialysis patients requiring admission to the intensive care unit compared to 25% during the previous waves. The Omicron variant wave resulted in a crisis in our country due to the high number of non-hospitalized COVID-19 hemodialysis patients and the severe staff shortage. Several measures were taken to overcome the crisis such as designating one facility to dialyze all COVID-19 ambulatory patients reducing dialysis sessions to 3 hours and introducing a fourth dialysis shift.
This article describes the challenges we faced in the ambulatory hemodialysis service during the Omicron wave and the measures taken in the COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 designated facilities to combat the crisis.