The Chinese city of Shanghai has started administering an inhalable Covid-19 vaccine in what appears to be a world first.
The vaccine, a mist that is sucked in through the mouth, is being offered free of charge as a booster dose for previously vaccinated individuals, according to an announcement posted on an official city social media account.
Needle-free vaccines may persuade people who do not like getting a shot to get vaccinated, as well as help expand inoculation in poor countries because they are easier to administer.
China does not have vaccine mandates but wants more people to get booster shots before it relaxes strict pandemic restrictions that are holding back the economy and increasingly out of synch with the rest of the world.
A video posted by an online Chinese state media outlet showed people at a community health centre putting the short nozzle of a translucent white cup in their mouths.