inclusion criteria: - able to read and understand informed consent. - high initial clinical suspicion by physician based on signs and symptoms (fever, cough, myalgias, fatigue, shortness of breath) followed by rt-pcr for confirmation of covid-19 diagnosis - any gender - age 60 years and older - age 30-59 years with one or more of the following: - abnormal lung exam - abnormal oxygen staturation <95% - abnormal chest x-ray or chest ct - persistent fever >100.4 degrees fahrenheit upon arrival to emergency department (ed) - one of the following co-morbidities: hypertension, diabetes mellitus, history of coronary artery disease, chronic kidney disease (ckd), asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, current or former smoker, or morbid obesity (body mass index ≥35)

inclusion criteria: - able to read and understand informed consent. - high initial clinical suspicion by physician based on signs and symptoms (fever, cough, myalgias, fatigue, shortness of breath) followed by rt-pcr for confirmation of covid-19 diagnosis - any gender - age 60 years and older - age 30-59 years with one or more of the following: - abnormal lung exam - abnormal oxygen staturation <95% - abnormal chest x-ray or chest ct - persistent fever >100.4 degrees fahrenheit upon arrival to emergency department (ed) - one of the following co-morbidities: hypertension, diabetes mellitus, history of coronary artery disease, chronic kidney disease (ckd), asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, current or former smoker, or morbid obesity (body mass index ≥35)