On hospital admission, higher plasma levels of NfL, GFAP and sCD163 were observed in COVID-19 patients compared to HD (median values and [IQR] for NfL: 29 [15–66] and 7 [4–11], p < 0.00001; median values and [IQR] for GFAP: 2 [0–10] and 0 [0–0], p < 0.0001; median values and [IQR] for sCD163: 1458 [1119–2256] and 952 [590–1303], p < 0.0001). Here, GFAP is linked to COVID-19.