1. unable to screen, randomize and administer study drug within 48 hours from arrival to hospital 2. systemic corticosteroid, baricitinib or tofacitinib (or other jak-stat signalling pathway inhibitors) therapy within 7 days prior to arrival to hospital or planned for the next days 3. known hypersensitivity or contraindication to natural or recombinant ifn-beta-1a or its excipients, or to dexamethasone or its excipients 4. currently receiving ifn-beta-1a therapy 5. home assisted ventilation (via tracheotomy or non-invasive) except for continuous positive airway pressure (cpap) / bilevel positive airway pressure (bipap) used only for sleep-disordered breathing 6. participation in another concurrent interventional pharmacotherapy trial during the study period 7. decision to withhold life-sustaining treatment; patient not committed to full support (except dnr after cardiac arrest only) 8. woman known to be pregnant, lactating or with a positive pregnancy test (urine or serum test) 9. subject is not expected to survive for 24 hours 10. subject has liver failure (child-pugh grade c) 11. any clinical condition that in the opinion of the attending clinician or investigator would present a risk for the subject to participate in the study

1. unable to screen, randomize and administer study drug within 48 hours from arrival to hospital 2. systemic corticosteroid, baricitinib or tofacitinib (or other jak-stat signalling pathway inhibitors) therapy within 7 days prior to arrival to hospital or planned for the next days 3. known hypersensitivity or contraindication to natural or recombinant ifn-beta-1a or its excipients, or to dexamethasone or its excipients 4. currently receiving ifn-beta-1a therapy 5. home assisted ventilation (via tracheotomy or non-invasive) except for continuous positive airway pressure (cpap) / bilevel positive airway pressure (bipap) used only for sleep-disordered breathing 6. participation in another concurrent interventional pharmacotherapy trial during the study period 7. decision to withhold life-sustaining treatment; patient not committed to full support (except dnr after cardiac arrest only) 8. woman known to be pregnant, lactating or with a positive pregnancy test (urine or serum test) 9. subject is not expected to survive for 24 hours 10. subject has liver failure (child-pugh grade c) 11. any clinical condition that in the opinion of the attending clinician or investigator would present a risk for the subject to participate in the study

unable to screen, randomize and administer study drug within 48 hours from arrival to hospital systemic corticosteroid, baricitinib or tofacitinib (or other jak-stat signalling pathway inhibitors) therapy within 7 days prior to arrival to hospital or planned for the next days known hypersensitivity or contraindication to natural or recombinant ifn-beta-1a or its excipients, or to dexamethasone or its excipients currently receiving ifn-beta-1a therapy home assisted ventilation (via tracheotomy or non-invasive) except for continuous positive airway pressure (cpap) / bilevel positive airway pressure (bipap) used only for sleep-disordered breathing participation in another concurrent interventional pharmacotherapy trial during the study period decision to withhold life-sustaining treatment; patient not committed to full support (except dnr after cardiac arrest only) woman known to be pregnant, lactating or with a positive pregnancy test (urine or serum test) subject is not expected to survive for 24 hours subject has liver failure (child-pugh grade c) any clinical condition that in the opinion of the attending clinician or investigator would present a risk for the subject to participate in the study

unable to screen, randomize and administer study drug within 48 hours from arrival to hospital systemic corticosteroid, baricitinib or tofacitinib (or other jak-stat signalling pathway inhibitors) therapy within 7 days prior to arrival to hospital or planned for the next days known hypersensitivity or contraindication to natural or recombinant ifn-beta-1a or its excipients, or to dexamethasone or its excipients currently receiving ifn-beta-1a therapy home assisted ventilation (via tracheotomy or non-invasive) except for continuous positive airway pressure (cpap) / bilevel positive airway pressure (bipap) used only for sleep-disordered breathing participation in another concurrent interventional pharmacotherapy trial during the study period decision to withhold life-sustaining treatment; patient not committed to full support (except dnr after cardiac arrest only) woman known to be pregnant, lactating or with a positive pregnancy test (urine or serum test) subject is not expected to survive for 24 hours subject has liver failure (child-pugh grade c) any clinical condition that in the opinion of the attending clinician or investigator would present a risk for the subject to participate in the study

unable to screen, randomize and administer study drug within 48 hours from arrival to hospital systemic corticosteroid or baricitinib therapy within 7 days prior to arrival to hospital or planned for the next days known hypersensitivity or contraindication to natural or recombinant ifn-beta-1a or its excipients, or to dexamethasone or its excipients currently receiving ifn-beta-1a therapy home assisted ventilation (via tracheotomy or non-invasive) except for continuous positive airway pressure (cpap) / bilevel positive airway pressure (bipap) used only for sleep-disordered breathing participation in another concurrent interventional pharmacotherapy trial during the study period decision to withhold life-sustaining treatment; patient not committed to full support (except dnr after cardiac arrest only) woman known to be pregnant, lactating or with a positive pregnancy test (urine or serum test) subject is not expected to survive for 24 hours subject has liver failure (child-pugh grade c) any clinical condition that in the opinion of the attending clinician or investigator would present a risk for the subject to participate in the study

unable to screen, randomize and administer study drug within 48 hours from arrival to hospital systemic corticosteroid or baricitinib therapy within 7 days prior to arrival to hospital or planned for the next days known hypersensitivity or contraindication to natural or recombinant ifn-beta-1a or its excipients, or to dexamethasone or its excipients currently receiving ifn-beta-1a therapy home assisted ventilation (via tracheotomy or non-invasive) except for continuous positive airway pressure (cpap) / bilevel positive airway pressure (bipap) used only for sleep-disordered breathing participation in another concurrent interventional pharmacotherapy trial during the study period decision to withhold life-sustaining treatment; patient not committed to full support (except dnr after cardiac arrest only) woman known to be pregnant, lactating or with a positive pregnancy test (urine or serum test) subject is not expected to survive for 24 hours subject has liver failure (child-pugh grade c) any clinical condition that in the opinion of the attending clinician or investigator would present a risk for the subject to participate in the study

1. unable to screen, randomize and administer study drug within 48 hours from arrival to hospital 2. systemic corticosteroid or baricitinib therapy within 7 days prior to arrival to hospital or planned for the next days 3. known hypersensitivity or contraindication to natural or recombinant ifn-beta-1a or its excipients, or to dexamethasone or its excipients 4. currently receiving ifn-beta-1a therapy 5. home assisted ventilation (via tracheotomy or non-invasive) except for continuous positive airway pressure (cpap) / bilevel positive airway pressure (bipap) used only for sleep-disordered breathing 6. participation in another concurrent interventional pharmacotherapy trial during the study period 7. decision to withhold life-sustaining treatment; patient not committed to full support (except dnr after cardiac arrest only) 8. woman known to be pregnant, lactating or with a positive pregnancy test (urine or serum test) 9. subject is not expected to survive for 24 hours 10. subject has liver failure (child-pugh grade c) 11. any clinical condition that in the opinion of the attending clinician or investigator would present a risk for the subject to participate in the study

1. unable to screen, randomize and administer study drug within 48 hours from arrival to hospital 2. systemic corticosteroid or baricitinib therapy within 7 days prior to arrival to hospital or planned for the next days 3. known hypersensitivity or contraindication to natural or recombinant ifn-beta-1a or its excipients, or to dexamethasone or its excipients 4. currently receiving ifn-beta-1a therapy 5. home assisted ventilation (via tracheotomy or non-invasive) except for continuous positive airway pressure (cpap) / bilevel positive airway pressure (bipap) used only for sleep-disordered breathing 6. participation in another concurrent interventional pharmacotherapy trial during the study period 7. decision to withhold life-sustaining treatment; patient not committed to full support (except dnr after cardiac arrest only) 8. woman known to be pregnant, lactating or with a positive pregnancy test (urine or serum test) 9. subject is not expected to survive for 24 hours 10. subject has liver failure (child-pugh grade c) 11. any clinical condition that in the opinion of the attending clinician or investigator would present a risk for the subject to participate in the study

1. admission to hospital with respiratory symptoms requiring supplemental high-flow (> 8l/min) oxygen therapy or mechanical ventilation 2. unable to screen, randomize and administer study drug within 48 hours from arrival to hospital. 3. systemic corticosteroid or baricitinib therapy within 7 days prior to arrival to hospital or planned for the next days 4. known hypersensitivity to natural or recombinant ifn-beta-1a or its excipients 5. currently receiving ifn-beta-1a therapy 6. home assisted ventilation (via tracheotomy or non-invasive) except for continuous positive airway pressure (cpap) / bilevel positive airway pressure (bipap) used only for sleep-disordered breathing 7. participation in another concurrent interventional pharmacotherapy trial during the study period 8. decision to withhold life-sustaining treatment; patient not committed to full support (except dnr after cardiac arrest only) 9. woman known to be pregnant, lactating or with a positive pregnancy test (urine or serum test) 10. subject is not expected to survive for 24 hours 11. subject has liver failure (child-pugh grade c) 12. any clinical condition that in the opinion of the investigator would present a risk for the patient to participate in the study

1. admission to hospital with respiratory symptoms requiring supplemental high-flow (> 8l/min) oxygen therapy or mechanical ventilation 2. unable to screen, randomize and administer study drug within 48 hours from arrival to hospital. 3. systemic corticosteroid or baricitinib therapy within 7 days prior to arrival to hospital or planned for the next days 4. known hypersensitivity to natural or recombinant ifn-beta-1a or its excipients 5. currently receiving ifn-beta-1a therapy 6. home assisted ventilation (via tracheotomy or non-invasive) except for continuous positive airway pressure (cpap) / bilevel positive airway pressure (bipap) used only for sleep-disordered breathing 7. participation in another concurrent interventional pharmacotherapy trial during the study period 8. decision to withhold life-sustaining treatment; patient not committed to full support (except dnr after cardiac arrest only) 9. woman known to be pregnant, lactating or with a positive pregnancy test (urine or serum test) 10. subject is not expected to survive for 24 hours 11. subject has liver failure (child-pugh grade c) 12. any clinical condition that in the opinion of the investigator would present a risk for the patient to participate in the study