Senior Patients With Long-COVID to Receive Free Diagnosis and Traditional Chinese Medicine in Hong Kong

(L-R) Professor Bian Zhaoxiang, associate vice-president (Chinese Medicine Development) and Director of the Clinical Division of the institution; Professor Alexander Wai, President, and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU; Dr. Bunny Chan Chung-bun, Chief Convenor of the Hong Kong Community Anti-Coronavirus Link, and Mr. Liu Jia, Vice President of China Everbright Holdings Co Ltd. (HKBU photo)

The School of Chinese Medicine at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) launched a rehabilitation programme that provides free medical consultations and Chinese medicine for those aged 65 or above suffering from Long Covid. Patients could register online from Sept. 7.

HKBU said the Chinese medicine practitioners will offer up to four sessions of free consultations and prescribe free Chinese medicine, based on the clinical diagnosis for up to six days of treatment.

Eligible participants should provide proof of confirmation of diagnosis, which includes SMS, electronic or paper records of positive nucleic acid tests from recognized private medical laboratories; SMS or electronic records of successful reporting from the Department of Health's Rapid Antigen Test Positive Reporting System; quarantine order issued by Department of Health; and certificate of recovery issued by Health Authority. Those who had been hospitalized and later recovered need to show proof of discharge.

Participants should enroll and book the consultations online. They need to go to the designated clinics for their first and third sessions. Online consultations would be given during the second and fourth sessions. The Chinese medicine prescribed for each of the four consultations must be picked up at designated clinics.

Professor Bian Zhaoxiang, associate vice-president (Chinese Medicine Development) and Director of the Clinical Division of the institution, said that many Covid patients might develop symptoms such as cough, shortness of breathing, insomnia, and tiredness after their recovery, and Chinese medicine practitioners have extensive experience in treating these symptoms.