The Impact of COVID-19 Redeployment on an Orthopedic Surgery Department at a Tertiary Care Medical Center in New York City

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in new, non-orthopedic roles for many members of our New York City based orthopedic department, including redeployment to medicine wards, emergency departments, and intensive care units. The purpose of this study was to determine if certain areas of redeployment predisposed individuals to higher likelihood of positive diagnostic or serologic testing for COVID-19. Methods: In this study, attendings, residents, and physician assistants within our orthopedic department were surveyed to determine their roles during the COVID-19 pandemic and whether they were tested via diagnostic or serologic methods for detecting COVID-19. Additionally, symptoms and missed days of work were reported.Results: No significant association between redeployment site and rate of positive COVID-19 diagnostic (p = 0.91) or serologic (p = 0.38) testing was detected. Sixty individuals responded to the survey, with 88.3% of respondents redeployed during the pandemic. Nearly half (n = 28) of those symptom. Two respondents had a positive diagnostic test, and 10 had a positive serologic test.Conclusions: Area of redeployment during the COVID-19 pandemic is not associated with an increased risk of subsetest.