Learn about the importance of vaccines, especially for people with chronic kidney disease, people on dialysis, and people with weakened immune systems, such as from receiving a kidney transplant.

Should I get vaccines if I have chronic kidney disease?

Vaccines are safe and important for patients with kidney disease. They create an extra layer of protection against infectious disease (or communicable disease) that can prevent you from getting sick or developing serious symptoms. Some examples of infectious (or communicable) disease include influenza (flu), coronavirus (covid-19), or hepatitis (inflammation of the liver).

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all patients are included kidney diseasepeople on dialysisand kidney transplant receivers are immunocompromised. This means that your immune system does not work as well as it should and you are at a higher risk of infectious diseases. Being immunocompromised means that vaccines are especially important for maintaining a healthy immune system.

All vaccines that you get from a pharmacy or from your doctor are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This means they have been tested to make sure they work and that they are safe.

What is a vaccine?

Vaccines are a standard part of preventive medicine, which is medical treatment that helps prevent disease or injury. Vaccines work by using parts of bacteria or a virus to “fake” an infection. When these bacteria and virus parts enter your body, an antibody will find it. Antibodies are proteins made by your immune system that find bacteria and help your body destroy them. The first time a person is exposed to a bacterium or virus, the immune system forms a specific antibody against that virus or bacterium.

Once your body has made antibodies from the parts of a bacteria or virus in the vaccine, these antibodies will stay in your body for a long time. This way, if that germ enters your body again, the antibodies will quickly notice it and destroy it. This can help prevent you from getting sick or developing serious illness.

Should I get the COVID-19 vaccine?

As a patient with kidney disease, you are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. It is safe and recommended for patients at all stages of kidney disease, dialysis patients and transplant recipients.

All patients with kidney disease are at higher risk of contracting COVID-19 and developing severe symptoms. Having an immunocompromised status means you should receive as many COVID-19 doses as your doctor recommends. You can read more about the latest information from the CDC on COVID-19 vaccines for moderately to severely immunocompromised individuals.

The Pfizer, Novavax, and Moderna vaccines have all been approved and approved by the FDA in the United States. If you are not already vaccinated, you can work with your pharmacy to get the first 2-3 doses, which must come from the same brand. If you have previously been vaccinated, you should receive updated vaccines, such as the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine. Updated vaccines keep your immunity high and work better against current strains of COVID-19.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about any questions or concerns you may have about vaccines.

Do I need a flu shot?

The flu or the flu shot is a vaccine that you should receive annually. Patients with kidney disease are at a higher risk of developing serious flu complications, which can lead to hospitalization and potentially death. Getting an annual flu shot can reduce your risk of getting the flu, reducing flu symptoms and being hospitalized for the flu.

The flu virus changes every year, and a new vaccine is developed to protect against the newest strains. That is why it is important to be vaccinated every year. It is ideal to get the flu shot in late October, as the flu season runs from October to May. The sooner you get the shot, the sooner you will be protected from the flu.

Patients with kidney disease, on dialysis, and kidney transplant patients should only receive the intravenous vaccine (given with a needle). Nasal spray vaccines have not been shown to be safe or effective in patients with chronic kidney disease.

What other vaccines should I be aware of?

COVID-19 and flu vaccines are both important for maintaining your health. There are also other vaccines that you should discuss with your doctor that can help you stay healthy.

• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine: Patients older than 60 with chronic kidney disease are at increased risk of severe RSV and should receive the vaccine. RSV is a respiratory virus like COVID-19 and influenza.
• Pneumonia or pneumococcal vaccine: Patients with chronic kidney disease should receive these vaccines to protect against pneumonia, meningitis and other blood infections that can cause death.
• Hepatitis B and TDAP (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis) vaccines.: Ask your doctor if you are up to date on these vaccines. If you are not, make a plan to get fully vaccinated.

These are other vaccines you can ask your care team about to find out if any are recommended for you:

• Chickenpox
• HPV (genital warts)
• MMR (measles, mumps and rubella)
• Shingles

It is possible to receive several vaccinations at the same time, for example your COVID-19 and flu shot. Getting these vaccines at the same time means you only need to visit your doctor once. Talk to your doctor about scheduling multiple vaccines in the same appointment. They can give you guidance on best practices for vaccines and what to expect if you get more shots.

To find a vaccine provider near you, use the CDC vaccine finder tool.

Can I receive vaccines if I am on dialysis?

Patients with kidney disease receiving dialysis have an increased risk of getting sick. If you receive dialysis in the center, you have a higher risk as you are exposed to more people.

If you have previously received COVID-19 vaccines, make sure you get the latest vaccine. Talk to your doctors if you have any questions about your vaccine status.

Dialysis patients who experience dehydration are at risk of more serious illness, as dehydration can make it difficult to fight an infection. Work with your doctor to manage fluid intake, especially if you get sick.

If you have an eGFR of <30 ml/min, you may be prescribed an antiviral drug to treat COVID-19, which can reduce the risk of hospitalization and death. Your healthcare team will help decide if you should take this medication, but it's always good to ask and see what your best options are.

Can I receive vaccines if I have a transplant?

Like one kidney transplant recipient, it is normal that you may have feelings of anxiety about getting sick and getting vaccines. Keeping your kidney healthy is a priority, and that means staying healthy! The good news is that vaccines are safe to receive and are an important part of maintaining your health.

As a transplant recipient, you are on medications called immunosuppressants. These prevent your body from reject your transplanted kidney. They also weaken your immune system, making you more susceptible to getting sick. Washing hands, wearing a mask and staying away from sick people are good practices to avoid getting sick.

It is important to know that COVID-19 vaccines are not as effective for transplant patients, so it is important to stay up to date with additional doses. There has been no evidence that acute rejection increases after a third vaccine dose, so it is safe to receive additional doses. As always, talk to your healthcare team about any questions or concerns you may have about getting vaccines or getting sick.

Resources to get more information and stay up-to-date on the latest vaccine guidance

Getting sick while you have kidney disease can be scary. General practices like hand washing, masks and avoiding sick people can help reduce your chances of getting sick. Taking your medications regularly and attending all of your doctor’s appointments are key to staying healthy.

Work with your healthcare team for any specific concerns or questions you may have.

There can be a lot of misinformation about vaccines and disease across the internet. Visit the CDC for the latest guidance on vaccines and considerations for patients with chronic kidney disease.