Assessment of the Impact of COVID-19 on Transplant Patients and on Patients Awaiting Transplantation

To provide optimal care to patients and to maintain long-term institutional viability, Transplant Centres (TC) must have an awareness of their patients' health status, their health care needs and priorities, as well as their access to information and health care. For example, it is critical that TCs understand whether their patients are medically suitable for transplant, whether transplantation remains a priority for their patients, how best to communicate with their patients, and whether their patients have sufficient access to medications and health care to undergo transplant safely. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a tremendous impact on people and institutions around the country in a short period of time. At this time, little is known regarding its impact on the transplant community specifically. For example, it has been reported that around 8 million French applied for partial unemployment benefit over the past month, but it is not known if this has affected transplant patients. It has been reported that people with significant chronic medical conditions and those with compromised immune systems may be at increased risk of dying from the COVID-19, but it is not known if this has affected patients' interest in receiving transplants at this time. The "Société Francophone de Transplantation (SFT)" published recommendations at the beginning of the pandemic in order to limit the rate of infection in these high-risk population. The purpose of this study is to better understand the impact of COVID-19 on patients on the waiting list and transplant patients. Further, a better understand on how patients have received information about this pandemic and how best to communicate with them.