Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening condition that affects severe COVID-19 patients and occurs when fluid fills elastic air sacs in the lungs, called alveoli. This accumulation of fluid acts as a barrier preventing the lungs from filling with enough air, ultimately reducing the amount of vital oxygen entering the bloodstream. A variety of immune white blood cells, including neutrophils and macrophages, play a key role in the progression of ARDS. Whilst under normal conditions these white blood cells act as important sentinels to fight infection and maintain healthy lungs, high numbers of neutrophils and cytokine storms released by macrophages are both linked to the severity of ARDS.