TCM Formulas 'COVID-1' and 'COVID-2' Launched on National Home Healthcare Platform for Region-Specific Treatment

TCM Formulas “COVID-19 No. 1” and “No. 2” Are Here! Jointly launched by three renowned TCM experts from Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, and China-Japan Friendship Hospital, professional TCM physicians at the COVID-19 outpatient clinic of the “National Home Healthcare Security Platform” provide online symptom-based treatment.

On December 15, the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) COVID-19 Outpatient Clinic of the “National Home-Based Medical Care Platform” officially launched two TCM prescriptions: COVID-19 Formula No. 1 and COVID-19 Formula No. 2. Patients can receive free consultations at the TCM COVID-19 Outpatient Clinic of the “National Home-Based Medical Care Platform,” where professional physicians will conduct online assessments and prescribe tailored treatments. The corresponding TCM preparations can be delivered to patients’ homes nationwide.

The Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formulas “COVID-19 Formula No. 1” and “COVID-19 Formula No. 2” are jointly developed standardized TCM prescriptions by Professor Gao Sihua, Chief Scientist of TCM under the National 973 Program and Chief Expert at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine; Professor Li Youlin, Director of the Key Research Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases (Chronic Cough and Asthma) under the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Director of the Second Department of TCM Pulmonary Diseases at China-Japan Friendship Hospital; and Professor Fan Jiping, former Vice President for Medical Affairs at the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences.

According to reports, this series of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulations was developed by modifying the “SARS No. 1” and “SARS No. 2” TCM formulas, taking into account the current atypical symptoms and epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19, such as its tendency toward mild cases and recurrent patterns. During the 2003 SARS outbreak, the “SARS No. 1” and “SARS No. 2” TCM formulas, developed with the participation of experts including Fan Jiping, played a significant role.

Recently, with the introduction of the “New Ten Measures” for epidemic prevention and control, population mobility has increased across China, leading to a rapid rise in confirmed COVID-19 cases. Coupled with an uptick in winter cold cases, long queues have formed outside fever clinics at hospitals in many regions. Meanwhile, irrational behaviors among residents, such as panic buying, inappropriate medication use, and stockpiling of drugs, have also emerged.

“There is a wide variety of commonly used medications for home-based treatment of COVID-19 patients. It is essential to purchase medications rationally, use them according to specific symptoms, and adopt scientific treatment approaches, seeking guidance from professional physicians whenever necessary. Irrational medication use not only fails to alleviate the condition but may also endanger one’s life.” In this regard, Fan Jiping introduced that COVID-19 Formulas No. 1 and No. 2 were specifically developed to address the differentiated symptoms caused by the two predominant viral strains in northern and southern China, respectively, and must be administered under the guidance of healthcare professionals for symptomatic treatment.

Among them, the core components of COVID-19 Formula No. 1 include Ephedra, Gypsum, and Cyrtomium Fortunei, which are suitable for treating symptoms following infection with the Omicron variant BE.7 prevalent in northern China. These symptoms include high fever, persistent cough, body aches, headache, sore throat, altered sense of smell, and loss of appetite. In contrast, the core components of COVID-19 Formula No. 2 include Schizonepeta, Saposhnikovia Divaricata, and Notopterygium Incisum, which are suitable for managing symptoms after infection with the Omicron variant BA.5.2 prevalent in southern China. Most cases are asymptomatic, while a minority of mild cases present with cold-like symptoms such as fever, sore throat, dry cough, and myalgia.

Fan Jiping stated that, thanks to platforms such as the “National Home-Based Medical Care Platform,” which provide online consultation services for COVID-19 patients, individuals can receive online medical consultations and undergo symptomatic treatment—including the use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) preparations—under the guidance of professional physicians.

On December 12, the Medical Treatment Group of the State Council Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism issued the "Notice on Doing a Good Job in Internet Medical Services for COVID-19," encouraging medical institutions to provide online diagnosis and treatment services to patients with COVID-19 through internet diagnosis and treatment platforms, in accordance with the requirements of the latest version of the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia.

In active response to policy guidance, the “National Home-Based Medical Care Platform” took the lead in upgrading its platform services on December 13, officially launching China’s first online fever clinic integrating traditional Chinese and Western medicine. This clinic primarily serves patients across China who present with symptoms associated with COVID-19 and are undergoing home-based observation and treatment in accordance with the “Guidelines for Home Treatment of Individuals Infected with the Novel Coronavirus.” It provides online consultations, medication guidance, and prescription services for managing COVID-19-related symptoms, along with home delivery of prescribed medications.

“National Home-Based Medical Care Platform” leverages the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In addition to providing COVID-19 Formula No. 1 and No. 2, it offers a diverse range of TCM services for patients undergoing online consultations, including a series of TCM prescriptions for COVID-19, integrated packages for testing, prevention, and treatment, as well as a series of preventive and rehabilitative herbal teas under the “Xuanhu TCM” brand. More than 6,000 TCM practitioners are available 24/7 to meet residents’ needs for symptomatic TCM treatment and medication guidance during home-based epidemic prevention.