Corona causes ARDS through low oxygenation due to hemoglobin destruction.
On top of that, hemoglobin breakdown leads to free iron in your blood, which damages the alveoli that are already delicate as hell.
AFAIK there isn't any clinical evidence for this and the paper that made this claim was based on protein simulation and modeling techniques. This was not based on clinical evidence:
The results showed the ORF8 and surface glycoprotein could bind to the porphyrin, respectively.
(Emphasis mine.)
The other side of the coin is what damages the alveoli is that SARS-CoV-2 attacks the type II pneumocytes then inflammatory cytokines precipitate fluid entering the lung tissue.
AFAIK there isn't any clinical evidence for this and the paper that made this claim was based on protein simulation and modeling techniques. This was not based on clinical evidence:
(Emphasis mine.)
The other side of the coin is what damages the alveoli is that SARS-CoV-2 attacks the type II pneumocytes then inflammatory cytokines precipitate fluid entering the lung tissue.