In the fight against the novel coronavirus epidemic, traditional Chinese medicine has been proving relatively effective. But while highlighting TCM's efficacy and advantages, we also have to stress the risk of improper use of TCM to control and prevent the spread of coronavirus.
For example, some people mistakenly anchor their hope on some herbs or Chinese patent drugs to prevent infection. Since most people know little about the principles of TCM, they may relax their vigilance against the epidemic by randomly taking some traditional Chinese medicines and forego the mandatory safeguards such as quarantine and hospitalization in the fight against coronavirus.
According to TCM, exogenous diseases including epidemics are determined by the outcome of the fight of healthy qi, or internal energy, against pathogens. The healthy qi is the internal basis of the disease while pathogenic factors are external causes of the illness.
A person may contract a disease when pathogens defeat the healthy qi, which means pathogenic factors play a decisive role in causing a disease in a human being. Also, even if the healthy qi is very strong, it may not be able to win the fight against a strong pathogen.
So it is necessary for humans to take medically prescribed measures to avoid pathogenic transmission, especially when an epidemic breaks out.
Source: China Daily
