This study collected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy donors (n=4), patients with severe influenza (n=5), and patients with different degrees of COVID-19 severity (n=8) in South Korea. Results showed that patients with COVID-19 had a higher inflammatory response across all PBMCs and found TNF/IL-1β to be the main inflammatory response in severe COVID-19 cases. For cases of severe COVID-19, type 1 interferon (IFNI) also contributed to the inflammatory response along with TNF/IL-1β, thus making the case for anti-inflammatory treatments to target inflammatory cytokines such as TNF/IL-1β. Further research of the IFN-1 inflammatory response is needed in order to improve treatment for severe cases of COVID-19.