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COVID-19 was first identified late last year with a cluster of pneumonia cases caused by a new coronavirus. The COVID-19 disease process heavily affects the respiratory system, and patients often need oxygen support. The respiratory therapist plays a critical role in managing oxygen levels, placing breathing tubes, and managing the mechanical ventilator, when necessary.

On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Daniel Diedrich, a Mayo Clinic anesthesiologist and critical care physician, discusses the role of the respiratory therapist from the time a patient presents with COVID-19 all the way through that patient's discharge.