With more than 81 000 deaths worldwide from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by April 8, 2020, 1 it is incumbent on researchers to accelerate clinical trials of any readily available and potentially acceptably safe therapies that could reduce the rising death toll. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) gains access to host cells via angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, which is expressed in the type II surfactantsecreting alveolar cells of the lungs. 2 Severe COVID-19 is associated with a major immune inflammatory response with abundant neutrophils, lymphocytes, macrophages, and immune mediators. Which mediators are most important in driving the immune pathology remains to be elucidated. Deaths from COVID-19 are chiefly due to diffuse alveolar damage with pulmonary oedema, hyaline membrane formation, and interstitial mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate compatible with early-phase adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). 3 Prevention of