Currently, the survival rate for COVID patients on ECMO is roughly 50% — a figure that has been dropping as more families of sicker patients have been pushing for life support. But the calculation is different for the younger people who make up this summer's wave of largely unvaccinated COVID patients in ICUs.

How long does someone typically stay on a ventilator due to COVID-19?

Some people may need to be on a ventilator for a few hours, while others may require one, two, or three weeks. If a person needs to be on a ventilator for a longer period of time, a tracheostomy may be required. During this procedure, a surgeon makes a hole in the front of the neck and inserts a tube into the trachea.

Is ECMO life support?

ECMO is the highest level of life support — beyond a ventilator, which pumps oxygen via a tube through the windpipe, down into the lungs. The ECMO process, in contrast, basically functions as a heart and lungs outside the body.