As the fight against the novel coronavirus continues, traditional Chinese medicine or TCM has been widely used to treat COVID-19 patients in China. The National Administration of TCM said TCM was used to treat over 85 percent of confirmed coronavirus patients, and a combined treatment of TCM and Western medicine has proven to be effective.

A work unit of the Shanxi Provincial TCM Hospital in the capital city of Taiyuan has been working round the clock to produce TCM treatment for the coronavirus infection.

The hospital has so far given free TCM treatment to over 13,000 patients and medical staff. Over 90 percent of the confirmed patients in the province have used TCM in the early stages of their treatment.

Wang Xixing, former deputy president of the Shanxi Provincial TCM Hospital, is a renowned TCM doctor in Shanxi. He has been actively participating in the treatment of coronavirus patients. 

"We follow the basic TCM theory, which is to treat patients according to their different symptoms. We ensure that everyone's prescription is individually tailored," he said.

The National Health Committee and the National Administration of TCM have jointly recommended a TCM prescription of Qingfei Paidu soup, or a soup for lung clearance and detoxication in English, to treat coronavirus patients. Nearly all confirmed patients in Shanxi have taken it.

Shanxi set up a provincial TCM expert group against the novel coronavirus as soon as it spread to the province. Li Tingquan is the leader of the group and also the president of the Affiliated Hospital of Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine. 

"After taking three sets of the Qingfei Paidu soup, 60 percent of patients experienced a reduction in the severity of their symptoms. While the condition of 30 percent of confirmed asymptomatic patients has remained stable," Li said. 

Cover image: TCM doctors observe the tongue of a COVID-19 patient in Shanxi Province. /CGTN