9th On the topic of syncope, I admitted 3-4 COVID+ patients with presenting complaint of syncope (2 with head lacs), all early in course, with orthostatic hypotension without significant antecedent fevers. Could COVID be having some effect on autonomic system?

10th Our standard protocol right now is azithro/hydroxychloroquine/zinc but I have little faith in efficacy. For the patients I really worried about (fast O2 requirement rise, high inflammatory markers) I gave tocilizumab off label. Clinical trial of sarilumab starting this week.

11th Proning is now standard in our ICU and I tried hard to get my sicker patients to do it too to head off intubation. This is much harder than it sounds. Most patients couldn’t get into position on their own, found it uncomfortable (back pain), refused.

12th Most of my patients didn’t eat anything. Partly lack of taste/smell, partly misery with fever, partly hypoxia with exertion, partly lack of visitors/staff in room to encourage and help. Several asked me for soft diet to reduce effort of chewing. Must attend to nutrition.

13th Lastly, one of the biggest concerns for non-critically ill patients was persistent painful cough. Most had paroxysmal dry, wheezy coughing spasms, often precipitating desaturations. Tried cough syrup, albuterol MDI with spacer (avoiding nebs), codeine, with little effect.