we will exclude patients who fulfil any of the following criteria: - use of systemic corticosteroids for any other indication than covid-19 - invasive mechanical ventilation for more than 48 hours - invasive fungal infection - fertile woman (< 60 years of age) with positive urine human gonadotropin (hcg) or plasma-hcg - known hypersensitivity to hydrocortisone - a patient for whom the clinical team has decided not to use invasive mechanical ventilation - previously randomised into the covid steroid trial - informed consent not obtainable

we will exclude patients who fulfil any of the following criteria: - use of systemic corticosteroids for any other indication than covid-19 - invasive mechanical ventilation for more than 48 hours - invasive fungal infection - fertile woman (< 60 years of age) with positive urine human gonadotropin (hcg) or plasma-hcg - known hypersensitivity to hydrocortisone - a patient for whom the clinical team has decided not to use invasive mechanical ventilation - previously randomised into the covid steroid trial - informed consent not obtainable