While this damaging systemic elevation in cytokines has been associated with the host response to COVID-19, whether this is truly a cytokine storm remains controversial as the concentrations of cytokines like TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8 do not appear to be as strong as those found in sepsis, non-COVID-19 ARDS, trauma, cardiac arrest, and CRS (21–24). This evidence concerns the gene CXCL8 and COVID-19.