OBJECTIVE: Through analyzing the efficacy of antiviral treatment of different administration routes of interferon-α in the treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome（ SARS） and Middle East respiratory syndrome（ MERS）

so as to probe into the best administration route of interferon-α in the treatment of COVID-19 and seek for the evidence of interferon-α injection in atomized therapy for COVID-19. METHODS: Relevant research in Chinese and foreign language databases including CNKI

VIP

Wanfang database

CBM

PubMed and the Cochrane Library were retrieved; at the same time

the issued related diagnosis and treatment scheme were searched from the website of World Health Organization

China National Disease Control and Prevention and National Health Commission in our country.Finally

the involved literature was extracted according to the method of evidence-based pharmacy. RESULTS: Totally2 105 studies were retrieved and 13 studies were finally enrolled.（ 1） there were 9 studies about subcutaneous or intramuscular injection of interferon-α for SARS and MERS treatment

most were successful cases;（ 2） there was 1 study about nasal administration of recombinant human interferon-α nasal spray to prevent SARS and other common respiratory virus infection

which needed more clinical trials to verify;（ 3） there had no study about interferon-αinjection in atomized therapy for SARS and MERS treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Subcutaneous or intramuscular injection of interferon-α are the commonly used and effective methods of administration that meet the recommendations of the drug insert

which can be tried for antiviral treatment of COVID-19; currently there is no clinical research about interferon-α injection in atomized therapy for coronavirus infection

observation and evaluation on the efficacy of this formulation in the treatment of COVID-19 can be carried out in the later period; in addition

the development and research of atomized and spray formulations can be carried out to further explore the different formulations and different administration routes of interferon-α in the treatment of different clinical classifications of patients with COVID-19

to avoid the risk of aerosol infection and off-label medication.