evidence: Ventilators were commonly deployed for critically ill COVID-19 patients who developed trouble breathing. The way ventilators were used initially during the pandemic was based on doctors’ experiences of treating other, known types of pneumonia. Over time, as doctors gained a better understanding of COVID-19, their approach to ventilator use also evolved. While it is probable that ventilators were used on some patients who might not have needed it in the end, the claim that ventilators, not COVID-19, were responsible for killing the majority of COVID-19 patients isn’t substantiated by evidence.