BEIJING -- China's latest diagnosis and treatment protocol for COVID-19 fully reflects the valuable experience of using Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in the treatment of severe and critical cases, according to a health official.

The new protocol introduces targeted TCM treatments for severe cases, and puts forward relatively complete therapeutic TCM solutions for children, said Jia Zhongwu from the national TCM administration at a Monday press conference.

It clarifies the COVID-19 symptoms of child patients at different stages of infection, and gives corresponding TCM prescriptions and medicine instructions, Jia said.

The 10th edition of the diagnosis and treatment protocol for COVID-19 was issued on Friday, and it now treats COVID-19 as a conventional Class-B infectious disease.