OBJECTIVE Corona-virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus. The variant of corona-virus first identified in India, known as Delta, has become the dominant strain in China. Unfortunately, more contagious and unknown variants are coming, leading to a number of close contacts under quarantine. Chinese medicine (TCM) has been recommended to prevention and treatment due to the satisfactory therapeutic effects. However, the effect of TCM to decrease positive rate in close contacts remains unknown.
METHODS We conducted an retrospective cohort study in Yangzhou, China to assess the effect of Chinese medicine on decreasing positive rate in close contacts under quarantine. The primary observation outcome was positive rate of Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAATs). The secondary observation outcome was a composite of viral load of positive NAATs, severity levels of confirmed cases (asymptomatic, mild, moderate, or severe), daily body temperature, and levels of close contact (primary or secondary).
RESULTS A total of 1 286 subjects were collected, of which 1 016 (79.00%) in TCM group and 270 (21.00%) in control group with 55 participants tested positive. The incidence of the primary outcome, positive rate of NAATs was significantly lower in the Chinese medicine group than in the control group, occurring in male and age≥60 years subjects. Multi-variable logistic regression (excluding NO viral load) indicated that the risk of testing positive was reduced by 0.547 times in TCM group compared to control group. CT value of TCM group was higher than that of control group in all subjects and female subjects, and the result showed statistically significant difference.
CONCLUSIONS In our study involving close contacts under quarantine, Chinese medicine resulted in lower positive rate of NAATs and viral load than control.
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