For infectious diseases doctor Siham Mahgoub, some diligent “detective work” and plenty of curiosity are what many medical breakthroughs in challenging patient cases are made of. Now that she is on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mahgoub admits that the stakes are higher and the learning curve is steep, but her approach remains the same.
On any given day, in their battle with a virus they can’t see, but can infect or kill them, Mahgoub wants her medical residents to remember this: don’t be afraid. In a pandemic, she said, “Fear is your worst enemy. And being anxious can make you forget something,” such as any aspect of personal protective equipment that they must wear like armor against a possible fatal contagion.
No room for error, no room for fear
The focus may be on COVID-19 and keeping patients alive, but Mahgoub still has non-COVID-19 patients to see. Some have HIV, another virus without a cure, which she has spent years studying and treating. But the constant buzz of the second pager she now wears signals the shifting demand in her caseload at HUH — and the new day that the coronavirus has ushered in. Mahgoub is needed for a consult.
“When my COVID-19 pager goes off, I have to respond to questions from the medical team about a suspected case. They’re usually wondering if a patient can safely stay at home” or needs to be come to an emergency room where risk of infection can be high and the medical team stretched.
