The COVID -19 pandemic has swept the globe. It is now evident that severe COVID-19 cases are associated with hyper-activation of the immune system, known as the “cytokine storm”. One of the central molecules involved in a cytokine storm is interleukin-6 (or IL-6). At normal levels, IL-6 helps fight infection but when in excess, IL-6 can help trigger a cytokine storm. Some bacterial species are known to directly or indirectly affect IL-6 signaling and thus help contribute to the creation of cytokine storms. Researchers have hypothesized that these bacterial species could also contribute to the cytokine storm in COVID-19. They propose a mechanism through which these bacterial species can contribute to the development of the COVID-19 cytokine storm. If their hypothesis is confirmed, it could mean that antibiotic treatment before or at an early stage of infection could reduce the chance of later developing a cytokine storm and help reduce the number of life-threatening cases of COVID-19.