The scene of the 9^th Press Conference for Prevention and Control of Respiratory Illness caused by the Novel Coronavirus in Zhejiang Province. Photo by Qian Chenfei.

On Feb 4^th, at Zhejiang’s 9^th Press conference on the Prevention and Control of the Outbreak of Respiratory Illness Caused by the Novel Coronavirus, Wang Zhen, Director of Pneumology Department in Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and also a TCM expert, introduced that for confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, TCM treatment in Zhejiang Province has reached a coverage rate of 67%. Meanwhile, he advised people NOT to use TCM like Shuanghuanglian or Banlangen blindly at a large scale for prevention.

After the novel coronavirus outbreak, following the instructions of Zhejiang Health Commission, Zhejiang Administration of TCM established a TCM expert team led by Professor Ge Linyi, a national TCM master.

“Since Jan 20^th, Zhejiang has drafted the TCM Guidelines for Prevention and Control, which also can be called the Diagnosis and Treatment Scheme, of the Respiratory Illness Caused by the Novel Coronavirus. Due to limited information at that time, we referred to schemes in the prevention and control of SARS and Avian Flu.” Wang Zhen said, with the number of cases increasing, Zhejiang sufficiently communicated with experts in other regions and proposed the second version of guidelines. Thereafter, according to the national diagnosis and treatment scheme and on-site survey of patients, Zhejiang drafted the third version of guidelines and has won high praises from other regions.

“In the TCM treatment of confirmed cases, in regions such as Hangzhou, Wenzhou, Jiaxing and Lishui, TCM doctors are providing treatment in different ways. Some TCM doctors are staying in the ward, some participate in consultations, and some use video consultations. "Wang Zhen said, "at present, the overall coverage rate of TCM treatment for respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus in Zhejiang Province is 67% and this proportion may increase."