SHANGHAI (REUTERS) - Shanghai will offer Covid-19 vaccinations for foreign residents, local authorities announced late on Tuesday (March 23).

It marks the first time a city in China has made its vaccine available widely to non-Chinese citizens.

According to a public notice, beginning March 29 foreigners "of appropriate ages" may book appointments online to receive a domestically developed shot.

The procedure will cost people without insurance 100 yuan (S$20.60).

Beijing this week began offering vaccines to foreign journalists and diplomats. The shots remain unavailable to most other non-Chinese residents in the city, however.

China has issued more than 74 million vaccine doses as of Saturday, a health commission spokesman said at a recent news briefing.