"Our state is in the western part of the United States, with an arid climate. Should we give different formulas here from those used in China when it comes to COVID-19 prevention and treatment?" Asked Dr. Elizabeth Spetnager, President of the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in Colorado.

In the online exchange meeting between Chinese and US TCM practitioners held on March 18th, Zhang Boli, an expert of the central steering group, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and President of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and other Chinese TCM practitioners shared the experience in treating COVID-19.

TCM has been involved in more extensive and in-depth range of cases in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 than ever.

TCM has been an effective treatment for COVID-19.

As of March 15, TCM intervened 91.64% cases in Hubei, 89.10% cases in Wuhan and 92.14% nationwide. China's response to the epidemic has four characteristics, as Boli Zhang introduced. The first one is "four early", namely to early prevention, early detection, early isolation and early treatment. Patients in the isolation places generally took TCM decoctions, which helped to contain the spread of the disease. The second one is to set up makeshift hospitals, receiving and treating the patients as much as possible. The third one is to treatment patients with Chinese characteristics, with more than 91% of the patients receiving TCM treatment. The fourth one is to adopt "three drugs and formulas" of TCM, which were effective.

"TCM doctors should give tailored treatment according to the time, place and patient conditions." said Boli Zhang, when answering the questions from a US doctor about the moisture.It was in a rainy winter, with an abnormal climate when the epidemic broke out in Wuhan, so we defined the disease as a "wet toxic plague". The treatment protocol in Wuhan was developed in that base. But China covers a large area. Places like Gansu and Qinghai are arid, so the symptoms were different. At present, there is no death in Qinghai, and a few cases. Therefore, we speculate that the disease is mild in dry places."

In addition, they have discussed the "three drugs and formulas", moxibustion, acupuncture and daily preventive measures.

Boli Zhang introduced that the materials about how the TCM were used and the clinical observation reports had been translated into English to share with international partners.