“The “massive immune response” occurs only after your anti-bodies fail to kill the virus.”
That isn’t remotely accurate.
That is my best guess. When anti-bodies are inadequate or absent to kill the virus, the virus grows and keeps destroying lung tissue. Then body goes into desperation mode, sending everything it has got to the site of infection. It is Lupus like response. Lupus is a disease where body attacks its own tissue. Which may be why HCQ has worked with covid patients when treated early in the game, before the body has destroyed the lung with massive immune response.