IL6 and Respiratory distress: Early studies suggest that cytokine release is central to the development of COVID-19–related respiratory distress,20 that interleukin-6 (IL-6) is produced by multiple cells including adipocytes,23,24 and that IL-6 levels are elevated in obese individuals.25,26 Furthermore, adipose tissue has been hypothesized to be a site for SARS-CoV-2 replication and shedding.27