The epidemic situation of COVID-19 is a great public health emergency worldwide characterized by fastest spreading, widest infection range and the mostly difficult to prevent and control in recent years. According to medical experience, traditional Chinese exercises (TCE) have been applied for COVID-19 prevention, adjuvant treatment or rehabilitation, and achieved some curative effects. They can enhance the body immunity, improve the function of organs, especially cardiopulmonary function, promote physical and mental rehabilitation by adjusting the body, regulating the breath, regulating the mind. This paper aims to investigate the potential value of TCE for health preservation in the prevention and adjuvant treatment for COVID-19 according to an overview of application and analysis of existing evidence. On this basis, this review proposed the TCE plan by visiting clinical and practice experts, so as to provide some references for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 with TCE in the world. •Along the current pandemic of COVID-19, more and more evidence has been supported for Traditional Chinese Exercises (TCE) in adjunct treatment and protection from COVID-19. So this paper has systematically summarized the evidence of TCE for COVID-19 aimed to provide some references for TCE application in clinic.•As the post- COVID-19 period, the rehabilitations of COVID-19 is the key problem in public healthy area. This paper has proposed the TCE practice protocol for public to improve the COVID-19 recovery-stage.