A Chinese merchant rests on goods in Lyublino market of Moscow in June 2018. Photo: IC

TCM doctors in Russia were among the first ones to act in the COVID-19 outbreak, helping ease the nervousness of Chinese residents at the onset of the pandemic. 

"We mainly direct people to prevent the disease by using TCM means. If the patients get severe, we help them contact local hospitals," Li Yunhai, a TCM doctor in Moscow told the Global Times. Li is in charge of the local TCM expert team.

The team was formed in early January. When the COVID-19 outbreak occurred in Russia, it led frontline efforts to safeguard the health of the Chinese community.

Doctors would suggest patients use TCM measures such as skin scraping, moxibustion, cupping and TCM herbs. 

"The effectiveness for COVID-19 patients in early stage is great," Li said. "They could heal in one week."

According to Li, he started to receive inquiries on March 28. "At the beginning there were more than a dozen a day. Recently it has dropped to seven or eight," he said. Among his patients, about five are confirmed positive.

The Traditional Chinese Medicine herbs to prevent COVID-19 used by Chinese doctors in Russia Photo: Courtesy of Wang Lian

There are also some Russians who would like to try TCM therapies, he said.

Zhao Hua (pseudonym), an employee at a trade company in Moscow, is one of Li's patients.

In mid-April, a colleague of Zhao was confirmed positive in the test after he returned to China. At the same time, Zhao and other two colleagues began to show symptoms such as dry cough.

"I have been worried," she said. She then referred to Li, who offered a free diagnosis. After taking several medicines, Zhao had no symptoms.

"At our most helpless moment in a foreign country, they are so kind and patient," said Zhao, praising Doctor Wang's help.

On Tuesday, doctors came to Zhao's company and tested all 12 employees, collecting samples from their "noses and mouths." 

They received the test result on Thursday: all negative.

"I hope the embassy could arrange chartered planes, even if we were sent quarantined in somewhere remote, we would feel safe," Zhao said.

Li Shulan, a retired TCM doctor in Moscow, said that TCM could be found in almost every city in Russia. 

But the TCM section is not quite regulated yet. Some massagists or beauticians would call themselves TCM doctors. "But good doctors always have patients," she said.

China has been promoting using TCM in the treatment of COVID-19 patients, as well as sharing the experience of with foreign countries, such as Italy and Iran, as clinical observation shows that TCM has been effective on 90 percent of more than 74,000 Chinese COVID-19 patients whose treatment involved TCM.