These findings demonstrate that the likelihood of response to IL-1 or IL-6 blocking strategies in patients with COVID-19 depends on the degree of respiratory impairment at the time of treatment administration and underscore the existence of a window of opportunity in which cytokine-blocking agents - as well as of more common anti-inflammatory therapies such as glucocorticoids and colchicine - might effectively counteract rampant inflammation in COVID-19 (17–19). The gene discussed is IL1B; the disease is COVID-19.