Background : Mechanically ventilated patients have experienced greater periods of prolonged deep sedation during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Multiple studies from the pre-COVID era demonstrate that early deep sedation is associated with worse outcome. Despite this, there is a lack of data on sedation depth and its impact on outcome for mechanically ventilated patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. We sought to characterize the emergency department (ED) and intensive care unit (ICU) sedation practices during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to determine if early deep sedation was associated with worse clinical outcomes. Study Design and Methods : Dual-center, retrospective cohort study conducted over six months (March - August, 2020), involving consecutive, mechanically ventilated adults. All sedation-related data during the first 48 hours were collected. Deep sedation was defined as Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale of -3 to -5 or Riker Sedation-Agitation Scale of 1 - 3. To examine impact of early sedation depth on hospital mortality (primary outcome) we used a multivariable logistic regression model. Secondary outcomes included ventilator-, ICU-, and hospital-free days. Results : 391 patients were studied, and 283 (72.4%) experienced early deep sedation. Deeply sedated patients received higher cumulative doses of fentanyl, propofol, midazolam, and ketamine when compared to light sedation. Deep sedation patients experienced fewer ventilator-, ICU-, and hospital-free days, and greater mortality (30.4% versus 11.1%) when compared to light sedation ( p < 0.01 for all). After adjusting for confounders, early deep sedation remained significantly associated with higher mortality (adjusted OR 3.44; 95% CI 1.65 - 7.17; p <0.01). These results were stable in the subgroup of patients with COVID-19. Conclusions : The management of sedation for mechanically ventilated patients in the ICU has changed during the COVID pandemic. Early deep sedation is common and independently associated with worse clinical outcomes. A protocol-driven approach to sedation, targeting light sedation as early as possible, should continue to remain the default approach. Clinical Trial Registration : Not applicable.