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Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for solid organ transplant programs worldwide. The aim of this study is to assess an international perspective on challenges faced by kidney transplant programs. Methods: We administered an electronic survey instrument from January 3, 2021 to June 8, 2021 to staff at transplant programs outside the United States that comprised of 10 questions addressing the management of kidney transplant candidates with asymptomatic COVID‐19 infection or unvaccinated who receive an organ offer. Results: Respondents (n = 62) represented 19 countries in five continents. Overall, 90.3% of respondents encourage vaccination on the waiting list and prior to planned living donor transplant. Twelve percent of respondents reported that they have decided to inactivate unsensitized candidates (calculated panel reactive antibody, cPRA <80%) until they received the two doses of vaccination, and 7% report inactivating candidates who have received their first vaccine dose pending receipt of their second dose. The majority (88.5%) of international respondents declined organs for asymptomatic, nucleic acid testing (NAT)+ patients during admission without documented prior infection. However, 22.9% of international respondents proceeded with kidney transplant in NAT+ patients who were at least 30 days from initial diagnosis with negative chest imaging. Conclusions: Practitioners in some countries are less willing to accept deceased donor organs for waitlist candidates with incomplete COVID‐19 vaccination status and to wait longer before scheduling living donor transplant, compared to United States practices. Access to vaccinations and other resources may contribute to these differences. More research is needed to guide the optimal approach to vaccination before and after transplant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for solid organ transplant programs. While transplant activity has largely recovered, appropriate management of deceased donor candidates who are asymptomatic but have positive nucleic acid testing (NAT) for SARS‐CoV‐2 is unclear, as this result may reflect active infection or prolonged viral shedding. Furthermore, candidates who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated continue to receive donor offers. In the absence of robust outcomes data, transplant professionals at US adult kidney transplant centers were surveyed (February 13, 2021 to April 29, 2021) to determine community practice (N: 92 centers, capturing 41% of centers and 57% of transplants performed). The majority (97%) of responding centers declined organs for asymptomatic NAT+ patients without documented prior infection. However, 32% of centers proceed with kidney transplant in NAT+ patients who were at least 30 days from initial diagnosis with negative chest imaging. Less than 7% of programs reported inactivating patients who were unvaccinated or partially vaccinated. In conclusion, despite national recommendations to wait for negative testing, many centers are proceeding with kidney transplant in patients with positive SARS‐CoV‐2 NAT results due to presumed viral shedding. Furthermore, few centers are requiring COVID‐19 vaccination prior to transplantation at this time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]