For millions of people, particularly in China, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is viewed as safer and more reliable than modern medicines. From headaches to heart disease, practitioners of TCM claim they can treat almost anything and even prevent the need for surgery.
The practice has always been popular in its place of origin, but the pandemic has boosted public popularity.
From the start of the Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged doctors to use a combination of Chinese and Western care.
Several TCM drugs were hailed as a 'Chinese solution' to Covid-19, some had also been used in the SARS outbreak of 2003. The World Health Organisation (WHO) initially advised against their use in 2020, but later deleted that warning from their website.
