Intriguingly, the uptake of SARS-CoV-2 into cells is associated with the downregulation of ACE-2 expression.54,55 This appears to play an important role in promoting a proinflammatory and prothrombotic milieu since ACE-2 plays a pivotal role in regulating the RAS (renin-angiotensin system), by degrading angiotensin II to angiotensin 1–7.