@Proud Prepper
Ok, I'm re-reading your post and I think I get what you are saying.
Remdesivir can cause acute kidney injury which leads to fluid overload and
pulmonary edema.
COVID-19 is a viral pneumonia - that damages the lungs and also causes pulmonary edema, but this is a different process. The edema caused by COVID happens at the cellular level, not just fluid overload. It's endothelial and alveolar epithelial injury (similar to what you see in TRALI - or a transfusion related lung injury - when giving blood).
The first stage of ARDS is this - the endothelial injury with pulmonary edema. Pulmonary edema in this case is associated with increased microvascular permeability.
The protein-rich edema fluid in ARDS is associated with large numbers of neutrophils; monocytes; denuded epithelial cells; and
proinflammatory markers including cytokines, proteases, oxidants, and procoagulant factors.
The influx of protein-rich edema fluid into the alveolus leads to the inactivation of surfactant.
Migration of large numbers of neutrophils results in the death of epithelial cells with the formation of circular areas of denudation at the sites where neutrophils impale the monolayer.
So - as an ICU doc we do a conservative fluid strategy, and ventilator settings specifically for these patients, low tidal volumes to not induce barotrauma.
Although ARDS is defined by its pulmonary manifestations, multi-organ system failure is common and contributes to morbidity and mortality. Current mortality rates in unselected patients are in the 30–50% range (non-COVID).
In order for lung epithelial integrity to be restored, the alveolar epithelium must be repopulated to replace injured and necrotic cells. Alveolar epithelial type I cells, which cover the majority of the alveolar surface are regenerated through proliferation and differentiation of the more injury-resistant alveolar epithelial type II cells. Resolution of pulmonary edema is mediated by alveolar epithelial fluid transport, which requires an intact alveolar epithelium.
Here's some more info. ARDS is much more complicated then plain fluid overload leading to pulmonary edema.
https://oxfordmedicine.com/view/10.1093/med/9780199600830.001.0001/med-9780199600830-chapter-108