The publication of the article and its exposure on Chinese media and social networks took a heavy toll on the drug's reputation and the company that produces it, with its share price falling 6.7 billion yuan ($1.05 billion) in one day. In November, the announcement of revised rules on the coronavirus outbreak helped share prices recover.

In Macau, the health bureau that distributes drugs to patients infected with the virus appeared to be caught off guard by the reports, as were most health organizations.

True, the World Health Organization has never recommended the treatment as a treatment for COVID-19, and the US Food and Drug Administration has never approved it, saying claims related to the coronavirus are "not supported by sufficient and reliable scientific evidence." Singapore's health authorities warned last year that there was "no scientific evidence" that the disease could treat or relieve COVID-19 symptoms, and Australia even banned its use.

However, the drug has already been approved for COVID-19 indications in countries including Kuwait, Mongolia, Thailand and Cambodia, and many more drugs have received registration approval or entry permits before this. Singapore approves clinical trial to 'study Lianhua Qingwen treatment of mild COVID-19 in adults'

The final chapter in this strange story came in April, when the media reported that "the Chinese government has stopped recommending this herbal supplement." However, there has never been any official confirmation that the Chinese health authorities have withdrawn the previous recommendation, and the fact is that as of now, there has been no further update of the "Diagnosis and treatment Protocol for Novel Coronavirus pneumonia-19 patients (Trial Version 9)" in China

Since then, all has been quiet, the only news being an announcement by health platform Dingxiang Prebiotic that it has been censored by the authorities. The article has been removed from its website due to "violation of relevant laws and regulations, and the user is currently banned from Posting."