Go through is to identify errors in thought process. Their hypothesis is that SARS-CoV-2 is attacking the beta-1 chain of the heme molecule and thus causing peripheral hypoxemia. I find that to be a fascinating hypothesis, however, how they got to that hypothesis is written below:

"This report demonstrates that the hemoglobin and neutrophil counts of most
patients have decreased, and the index values of serum ferritin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, albumin, and lactate dehydrogenase of many patients increase significantly. This
trace implies that the patient's hemoglobin is decreasing, and the heme is increasing..."

Those lab values are non-specific to a particular disease and the jump to the conclusion that hemoglobin is decreasing is a leap. Peer review would have identified this major flaw.

I'm curious to see data on patients with thalassemia to see how they fair compared to those with sickle cell or alpha as well as to those with iron deficiency anemia or macrocytic anemia.

This is quite interesting, maybe there are a cohort of thalassemia patients that could be investigated. This did hit hard in Italy, so that is unique. However, seems to me we would be hearing about thalassemia being a major risk factor by now.

I find this questionable but interesting.