ACE2 and Hypertension: Proposed explanations for the strong association between obesity and severe COVID‐19 include pulmonary dysfunction,33 hypertension,34 upregulated angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) expression,35, 36 hyperglycemia,37 dyslipidemia,38 insulin resistance,39, 40 chronic low‐grade inflammation,33 a pre‐existing pro‐thrombotic environment,41 and impairment of endothelial and gut barrier function.42, 43