51. New York City COVID-19 resident physician exposure during exponential phase of pandemic
- Author
-
Lora R. Dagi Glass, C Gustavo De Moraes, Aliaa H Abdelhakim, Sharon X. Xie, Mark P. Breazzano, Royce W.S. Chen, Alice Chen-Plotkin, Jason Horowitz, and Junchao Shen
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) ,Cross-sectional study ,Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) ,Pneumonia, Viral ,Specialty ,03 medical and health sciences ,Betacoronavirus ,0302 clinical medicine ,COVID-19 Testing ,Intensive care ,Epidemiology ,Pandemic ,medicine ,Humans ,Personal protective equipment ,Pandemics ,business.industry ,Clinical Laboratory Techniques ,SARS-CoV-2 ,COVID-19 ,General Medicine ,United States ,030104 developmental biology ,030220 oncology & carcinogenesis ,Family medicine ,New York City ,Clinical Medicine ,business ,Coronavirus Infections - Abstract
BACKGROUND: From March 2, 2020, to April 12, 2020, New York City (NYC) experienced exponential growth of the COVID-19 pandemic due to novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Little is known regarding how physicians have been affected. We aimed to characterize the COVID-19 impact on NYC resident physicians. METHODS: IRB-exempt and expedited cross-sectional analysis through survey to NYC residency program directors April 3–12, 2020, encompassing events from March 2, 2020, to April 12, 2020. RESULTS: From an estimated 340 residency programs around NYC, recruitment yielded 91 responses, representing 24 specialties and 2306 residents. In 45.1% of programs, at least 1 resident with confirmed COVID-19 was reported. One hundred one resident physicians were confirmed COVID-19–positive, with an additional 163 residents presumed positive for COVID-19 based on symptoms but awaiting or unable to obtain testing. Two COVID-19–positive residents were hospitalized, with 1 in intensive care. Among specialties with more than 100 residents represented, negative binomial regression indicated that infection risk differed by specialty (P = 0.039). In 80% of programs, quarantining a resident was reported. Ninety of 91 programs reported reuse or extended mask use, and 43 programs reported that personal protective equipment (PPE) was suboptimal. Sixty-five programs (74.7%) redeployed residents elsewhere to support COVID-19 efforts. CONCLUSION: Many resident physicians around NYC have been affected by COVID-19 through direct infection, quarantine, or redeployment. Lack of access to testing and concern regarding suboptimal PPE are common among residency programs. Infection risk may differ by specialty. FUNDING: National Eye Institute Core Grant P30EY019007; Research to Prevent Blindness Unrestricted Grant; Parker Family Chair; University of Pennsylvania.
- Published
- 2020