Studies to Determine Whether Oxygen Sensing is Impaired in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Infected Patients

The two-part phases will each have a unique patient population, The goal in this application is to see if that carotid bodies are "offline" is correct and to determine whether a cohort of SARS-Cov-2 patients can be identified who fit this profile and would be suitable for drug treatment. The testing will require one group of subjects to hold their breaths for a short period while the investigators monitor vital signs and blood O2 levels. A second group of "healthier" COVID subjects will be asked perform a walk-test inside their rooms for six minutes while vital signs are monitored as well as blood O2 levels. If the subjects are in the healthy control group, they will perform the walk test in a designated hallway at the medical center also while there vitals are being monitored. The goal, using a mild stimulus, is to determine whether respiration increases if blood O2 saturation is decreased. If it does not, that would indicate a failure of the carotid body oxygen sensing system.