ACE2 and viral pneumonia: ACEIs/ARBs have an impact on the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and are postulated to attenuate pulmonary and systemic inflammatory responses, reducing the severity and mortality of viral pneumonia-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (6–8), ultimately by angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) upregulation through the ACE2-Ang-(1-7)-Mas axis (9).