Factor 1 associated [1] baseline severity and extra-respiratory organ dysfunction (SOFA and PSI scores, lactate, creatinine and NT-ProBNP levels which were higher in non-COVID-19, except for SOFA score), [2] “classical” inflammatory mediators (i.e. CXCL1, CXC2, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α) and (3) “T-cell exhaustion (inverse correlation with lymphocyte count, and production of 15 cytokines upon ex vivo stimulation of whole blood with anti-CD3 and TLR7/8 ligands). Here, IL2 is linked to COVID-19.