inclusion criteria: * adult (\>18 years) within 24 hours of admission to intensive care unit with proven or suspected covid-19 infection. for the purpose of this study, intensive care unit is defined as a facility that allow continuous monitoring of vital functions and oxygen administration . it is expected that most patients will have rtpcr test known within 24 hours of admission to hospital. nonetheless, if this is not the case (eg. due to overloaded lab facility, lack of supplies) it is possible to randomise a patient based on a strong clinical suspicion of sars-cov-2 infection. in case covid-19 is not confirmed in retrospect, experimental therapy is withdrawn and the study subject is withdrawn from "per protocol" analysis of the primary and secondary outcomes, but remains in "intention-to-treat" cohort for the analysis of safety.

inclusion criteria: * adult (\>18 years) within 24 hours of admission to intensive care unit with proven or suspected covid-19 infection. for the purpose of this study, intensive care unit is defined as a facility that allow continuous monitoring of vital functions and oxygen administration . it is expected that most patients will have rtpcr test known within 24 hours of admission to hospital. nonetheless, if this is not the case (eg. due to overloaded lab facility, lack of supplies) it is possible to randomise a patient based on a strong clinical suspicion of sars-cov-2 infection. in case covid-19 is not confirmed in retrospect, experimental therapy is withdrawn and the study subject is withdrawn from "per protocol" analysis of the primary and secondary outcomes, but remains in "intention-to-treat" cohort for the analysis of safety.

inclusion criteria: - adult (>18 years) within 24 hours of admission to intensive care unit with proven or suspected covid-19 infection. for the purpose of this study, intensive care unit is defined as a facility that allow continuous monitoring of vital functions and oxygen administration . it is expected that most patients will have rtpcr test known within 24 hours of admission to hospital. nonetheless, if this is not the case (eg. due to overloaded lab facility, lack of supplies) it is possible to randomise a patient based on a strong clinical suspicion of sars-cov-2 infection. in case covid-19 is not confirmed in retrospect, experimental therapy is withdrawn and the study subject is withdrawn from "per protocol" analysis of the primary and secondary outcomes, but remains in "intention-to-treat" cohort for the analysis of safety.

inclusion criteria: - adult (>18 years) within 24 hours of admission to intensive care unit with proven or suspected covid-19 infection. for the purpose of this study, intensive care unit is defined as a facility that allow continuous monitoring of vital functions and oxygen administration . it is expected that most patients will have rtpcr test known within 24 hours of admission to hospital. nonetheless, if this is not the case (eg. due to overloaded lab facility, lack of supplies) it is possible to randomise a patient based on a strong clinical suspicion of sars-cov-2 infection. in case covid-19 is not confirmed in retrospect, experimental therapy is withdrawn and the study subject is withdrawn from "per protocol" analysis of the primary and secondary outcomes, but remains in "intention-to-treat" cohort for the analysis of safety.