A pharmacist weighs traditional Chinese medicine on scales at a TCM hospital in Haian, Jiangsu province, on May 11, 2020. [Photo by Zhai Huiyong/For China Daily]

TCM

After speculation caused anxiety among Wuhan's population during the grim initial phase of the epidemic, traditional Chinese medicine expert Lyu Wenliang wrote a handbook on using TCM to help stop people getting the disease at home.

"Initially, the official health department didn't release a mature treatment plan, so residents were confused by various prevention methods that spread online," he said.

As an expert on treating typhoid with TCM, I had some thoughts about dealing with the coronavirus."

Lyu, president of Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, also helped to guide local hospitals when they made treatment plans involving TCM.

He compiled the handbook in late January, targeting the 10 million residents in the city.

"I hoped people would learn to use TCM measures to help prevent the disease at home through an easy and universal handbook," he said.

Hubei Daily and people.cn later released the handbook nationwide, providing basic advice on daily routines, meal recipes and TCM prescriptions to better deal with the epidemic.

"The handbook helped people understand this new infectious disease from the angle of TCM. They gained a deeper understanding of how to improve immunity and prevent pathogenic factors in easily accessible ways," Lyu said.

The handbook attracted more than 100,000 views online in the first week, according to the university.

Lyu said the measures suggested were applied to the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

"In late February, we popularized the handbook in North America via the alumni association in the region in an effort to help more people fight the pandemic," he added.