CDC says to prepare for more bad news

By Bill Peckham

RenalWEB is tracking the latest news reports concerning the spread of a novel influenza virus. We've been told to expect bad news, more reports of cases and that we should expect deaths. From the CDC's Sunday news conference transcript:

[Elizabeth Cohen, CNN ] Is it just that our denominator isn't that big yet, we just don't have many cases and that's why we're not seeing deaths yet?

[Dr. Anne Shuchat, CDC] That's one possibility. Of course, we may be fortunate and not have them, but I think we really need to prepare for the idea that we will have additional cases, additional affected states and I do fear that we will have deaths here.

Much depends on the severity of this virus - how easily it passes among people and how sick it makes someone who catches it. If at the end of this week we have reason to believe that the virus passes easily among people and often causes illness that requires hospitalization, then dialysis units will need to be prepared with policies that maintain the provision of dialysis.

Dialysis units should have and should be able to communicate pandemic policies to their staff and patients. Dialysis units should be able to answer questions such as:

• If member of staff/patient household has flu what should be done?
• If staff/patient presents with symptoms what should be done?
• If staff/patient is confirmed as having the novel flu what should be done?

I'm not sure what the right answers are, but these policies should not be established in the moment, they need to be thought through and established before they are needed. I hope units have established policies because they may need them sooner rather than later.

It will be important to maintain good communication and trust throughout what could be a long period of challenge; patients need to know what to expect from their units.