Since the novel coronavirus outbreak, Huang Luqi, academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering and President of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, has been busy all these days. 

On January 25th, the first day of the Lunar New Year, he was ordered to lead the National TCM Medical Team to support Wuhan by China Railway High-speed .

On January 31st, Huang Luqi took the time to be interviewed by a reporter from Hubei Daily. 

Every second counts for the epidemic prevention and control. Huang said that before coming to Wuhan, he had made sufficient preparations, including studying relevant epidemic reports and scientific research articles, collecting treatment plans, setting up medical teams, training medical staff in various department, coordinating and communicating with Wuhan and preparing protective materials. 

"Since we are here, we can fight together with western medicine side by side and cooperate on the same platform." Huang introduced that at the Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, the National TCM Medical Team has taken over a 32-bed ward and carried out integrative TCM and western medicine treatment. On January 29th, the medical team treated the first batch of patients with TCM, and the next day some patients fed back that they got better sleep, less cough and asthma symptoms. At present, 43 patients have been taking TCM and generally made good responses.  Next, integrative treatment of TCM and western medicine is to be applied in the ward taken over by the medical team of the Military Medical University in Jinyintan Hospital. 

In addition to the inpatients, people being observed at home and in community are also concerned by Huang. 

At midday on Jan 30th, Huang and the medical team members, sacrificing their rest time, visited two communities in Hankou to pilot stratified diagnosis and treatment. 

Huang believed that intervening and stratifying as early as possible could relieve the pressure of hospitals and the fear of residents, and could avoid cross infection in hospital.

They prescribed TCM patent medicine for 3 days to the febrile residents in the community and are following up every day to see whether the medicines have effect on patients’ symptoms. “If the intervention shows positive effect, we will promote to a greater scale.” Academician Huang said.

During the interview, he repeatedly emphasized: “Frontline medical staff is the real hero.”

Huang said, since the medical team started working, the whole team has put in extra hours. “Our team members were slightly nervous and afraid at the beginning, but once arriving in the battle field, we all become brave and fearless. With such a team and the support from the whole nation, we have great confidence in getting through this hard time.”