All patients were recruited from the CS2-trial with following inclusion/exclusion criteria:  Inclusion Criteria:  confirmed SARS-CoV-2 AND requiring at least 10l/min of O2 supplementation, non-invasive mechanical ventilation for hypoxia or invasive mechanical AND  Exclusion Criteria:  if previously randomised to the CS2 trial if they had received corticosteroids for COVID-19 during ≥5 consecutive days or use corticosteroids in doses >6 mg dexamethasone for an indication other than COVID-19. active tuberculosis hypersensitivity to dexa-/betamethasone active fungal infection fertile woman ≤60 years of age with a positive U-HCG/P-HCG test informed consent not obtainable  For the inclusion in this post-hoc analyses there is additional criteria:  Inclusion Criteria:  - randomised in the ICU  Exclusion Criteria:  established thromboembolism at randomisation established major bleeding at randomisation