Foreigners in Shanghai who meet the requirement will be eligible to take domestic made COVID-19 vaccines, municipal authorities announced on Tuesday night, making Shanghai the first Chinese city to publicize inoculation plan for foreigners. The move has sparked heated discussions on whether more cities would follow suit.
Foreigners in Shanghai who want to be vaccinated can make an online appointment through the "Health Cloud" app to register starting Monday. Shanghai is using domestic two-dose inactivated vaccines.
Foreigners who have social insurance in Shanghai will enjoy same policy as Chinese nationals. People who do not have medical insurance need to take vaccines at their own expense, about 100 yuan ($15.4) per dose.
They need to take their permanent residence identity card or passport or valid residence permit to the designated sites after successful registration and follow the process such as signing an informed consent and a disclaimer of undertaking.
Healthcare professionals will determine whether they are eligible for the vaccination based on the information they have been given, authorities said.
After Shanghai announced the policy, the public has been discussing whether more Chinese cities, such as Beijing and Guangzhou which have large expat communities, will follow suit.
