 This study found that early treatment with continuous positive airway pressure, CAPAP, is a safe option for patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure due to COVID-19. The overall recovery rate from respiratory failure was 50% in the do-not-intubate, DNI, group and 89% in the full-code group. Among the latter, 71% recovered with CAPAP alone, 3% died under CAPAP and 26% were intubated after a median CAPAP time of seven days, IQR, 5 to 12 days. Of the patients who were intubated, 68% recovered and were discharged from the hospital within 28 days. Additionally, eight entomographic severity score were identified as independent predictors of mortality. This article was authored by Claudia Brusasco, Francesco Caradi, Federico Dasi, and others.