race for free online TCM consults

Some 8,000 Covid patients under self-isolation have made use of a free online traditional Chinese medicine consultation service offered by Hong Kong Baptist University, receiving prescriptions for popular medicines such as Lianhua Qingwen and Huoxiang Zhengqi tablets.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong is offering similar TCM online consultations to Covid patients. The service is free for the first three sessions.

Baptist University said it has been offering the consultation service, along with medicine-delivery services, since mid-February, noting that the platform can serve a maximum of 1,000 patients per day.

Online reservations made on the two universities' platforms currently exceed 10,000 per day. Consequently, the average waiting time for patients is around three days. Additional counseling will be provided to residents and staffers of elderly homes.

The university's director of Chinese medicine, Bian Zhaoxiang, said yesterday that people have often asked about medicines such as Lianhua Qingwen, Huoxiang Zhengqi and Jinhua Qinggan, which are often used to treat Covid patients on the mainland. He stressed that the three medications target different symptoms and patients should always consult Chinese-medicine practitioners before using them.

The Lianqua Qingwen capsules, Bian said, ease symptoms such as fevers, muscle fatigue, coughing, sore throats, sputum and dry feces. On the other hand, the Jinhua Qinggan pills treat fevers, dry and sore throats, mild coughing, runny noses and yellow sputum.

As for the Huoxiang Zhengqi tablets, it targets headaches, diarrhea and vomiting.

Bian added that Hong Kong relies heavily on the mainland for its supply of Chinese medicine but the city's demand has recently increased significantly given the greater number of Covid patients.

"If the government can facilitate clearance and transportation, such as offering an expressway for Chinese medicine, I believe the entire industry would welcome [the approach]," he said.

CUHK announced Tuesday that it would also roll out an online Chinese-medicine consultation service for Covid patients who are currently self-isolating at home and waiting for treatment.

After the first three sessions, patients will need to pay HK$70 for medicine per session. An additional HK$20 will be charged each session in order to have the medicine decocted. Patients will also have to pay extra to have the medicine delivered to their doors.

Eligible patients can sign up by phoning 2873-3100 or 2873-3053. They can also sign up by email at imc.info@cuhk.edu.hk.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said yesterday that proprietary Chinese medicine will be included in Covid kits sent to at-home patients.

Lam added that the three kinds of Chinese medicine donated by the central government - Lianhua Qingwen, Huoxiang Zhengqi and Jinhua Qinggan - were proving very popular and the SAR has already procured more for the city's residents.