In the Press Conference of Beijing Government on COVID-19 Containment held on April 25, Zhou Jianxin, head of the expert panel for critical case treatment and vice president of Tiantan Hospital, expressed that the Medical Group of Beijing COVID-19 Control and Prevention Leading Group set up an expert panel for critical case treatment, which will facilitate the critical case treatment. As of April 24, four patients have been taken off from ECMO, among whom the longest time using ECMO was 35 days, and the oldest was 78 years old. Ten patients have been taken off from ventilators, among whom the longest ventilated time was 42 days and the oldest was 85 years old.

It is known that, the panel keeps improving the standard treatment protocols with good results, on the basis of the experience both in China and abroad. Zhou Jianxin said that, first, we should do the early detect and early treatment, which could prevent the disease from progressing to severe or critical disease. Second, we should observe lung protective ventilation. Among the 41 critical cases, supine ventilation was given with 90% working. It could also help to stabilize the circulation and reduce or avoid infectious shock during treatment.

In the fight against COVID-19, TCM plays a important role. Li Xiuhui, vice head of the TCM panel, chief doctor of Integration of TCM and western medicine of Beijing You’an Hospital, and deputy director of institute of infectious disease treatment with integrated TCM and western medicine, introduced that, as of April 24, 87.9% of cases have been given TCM, with 94.7% effective. 81.3% of severe and critical cases have been given TCM, with 92.3% effective. For example, the first severe case COVID-19 in Beiing You’an Hospital was treated with TCM and discharged 12 days later.

Li Xiuhui said that TCM treatment is quite flexible and the treatment plan was developed according the epidemic rationale and the effective methods in it. Meanwhile, the diagnosis and treatment system combining the disease, the syndromes and the symptoms involves the emergence, development, different syndromes in different phases, which makes more targeted treatment. In the treatment of COVID-19, some starting points of integrated TCM and western treatment have been explored, as well as some new approaches.