The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use.

It's the second coronavirus vaccine to earn FDA authorization in the U.S. after the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Administration of the Moderna vaccine can begin after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices issues a recommendation on its use followed by a final approval from the CDC director.

The final procedures are expected to be completed over the weekend.

U.S. health authorities plan to distribute 40 million COVID-19 vaccines across the country by the year's end as inoculation efforts are already underway.