Your immune system is your body's defense system. It helps you fight off germs and infections. If you have kidney disease, your immune system may not work as well as it should and you may get sick more easily. Dialysis can make it even more difficult for your immune system to fight infections. August is National Immunization Awareness Month, which makes it a good time to ask your nephrologist, or kidney doctor, which vaccines are right for you.
Why Vaccines Matter for Dialysis Patients
The National Kidney Foundation explains why staying up to date with your vaccines matters when your kidneys are not working at full strength. Years of evidence have shown vaccines to be safe and effective, and they're crucial to the health and survival of patients with kidney disease, many of whom are immunosuppressed. Vaccines can help keep you from getting very sick, and it is generally recommended that dialysis patients be vaccinated for flu, pneumonia, hepatitis B, and COVID-19.
Vaccines Worth Asking About
- Influenza (flu): protects against seasonal influenza, recommended annually.
- Hepatitis B: protects against a liver infection that dialysis patients face increased exposure to.
- Pneumococcal (Pneumonia): protects against a serious lung infection.
- COVID-19: protects against serious illness from COVID-19 from which people with CKD are at a higher risk of getting very sick more likely to need hospital or ICU care.
Vaccines are not one-size-fits-all. Your care team can help you understand which vaccines are appropriate for you and when to receive them based on your treatment plan.
Other Everyday Ways to Protect Your Immune System
Vaccines are one part of the picture. You can also help protect your immune system by:
- Washing your hands often with soap and water, especially before eating or after using the bathroom.
- Using hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available.
- Asking your family and caregivers to wash their hands, too.
- Making sure all meats are fully cooked, and avoiding raw or undercooked meat.
Talk to Your Care Team
Your doctors, nurses, and dietitians want to help you stay healthy. Bring your questions to your care team, including those about vaccines, and review any changes with them before you decide.
Remember: Taking simple, consistent steps every day such as washing your hands, eating well, staying active, and working closely with your care team can keep your immune system strong and help protect you from infection. Small changes add up to better health and a stronger defense for your body.
Why Innovative Renal Care
At Innovative Renal Care, we are committed to delivering a dialysis experience that goes beyond the treatment itself. As a physician-partnered and nurse-led organization, our focus is on collaboration, innovation, and data driven care.
We're delivering more tomorrows to our patients, their families, and friends.
