When lung consolidation with sonographic air bronchograms was visualized, point-of-care ultrasound facilitated the immediate decision to treat with antibiotics, without waiting for chest X-ray. Visualization of viral pneumonia on ultrasound may be useful to assist in the decision to initiate immediate empiric treatment with antiviral medication for future pandemic or epidemic influenza patients. In a large cohort of hospitalized H1N1 influenza A pandemic patients, only 73% of patients with radiographic evidence of pneumonia received antiviral drugs, whereas 97% received antibiotics [24] . Better recognition of viral pneumonia by ultrasound may impact outcomes, as available data have shown treatment with antiviral medication reduces mortality in hospitalized patients with influenza, even when therapy is initiated after 48 h of illness onset [24] .