Chinese medicine speaks of External Wind-Cold Invasion of the common cold or flu when it is characterised by sneezing, headache, a stuffy nose or watery nasal discharge, possible fever, but no sweating.

The lung disease, which appeared for the first time in China at the end of 2019, is commonly known as Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The virus that caused the disease, is known as Sars-CoV-2. SARS stands for “Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome”.

Coronaviruses were first identified in the mid-1960s and can infect humans or animals. Some variations of the coronavirus that previously infected animals exclusively can cross over to humans, spread and lead to severe illnesses.

The incubation period (the time between infection and outbreak of the disease) is currently estimated at 5 to 6 days on average. People who have been infected with the new coronavirus are contagious during the incubation period before the first symptoms appear.

There are no “typical” symptoms that clearly identify COVID-19. The symptoms and their severity vary from person to person. Since COVID-19 primarily affects the respiratory tract, the most common symptoms are similar to other respiratory diseases such as the flu or common cold: cough, fever, runny or stuffy nose, smell and taste disturbances, discomfort and fatigue.

Other COVID-19 symptoms may include sore throat, shortness of breath, headache and aching limbs, loss of appetite, weight loss, nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea. These initial signs of illness should not be underestimated, because in particularly severe cases, those affected will develop lung inflammation, excessive immune reactions or persistent breathing difficulties and have to receive intensive medical treatment in hospital.

Unfortunately, there is hardly any treatment or medication in western medicine that specifically targets the...

Hay fever is when the body’s immune system reacts excessively to substances that are harmless in themselves, like plant pollen such as from certain grass and tree pollen. Typical symptoms are reddened, itchy eyes and a blocked, runny and itchy nose.