The UK drug regulator approved the use of the vaccine, making it the third shot to receive official authorization since December.

"The COVID-19 vaccine developed by Moderna has today been given regulatory approval for supply by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency," the Health Department said.

In France, the national health authority okayed the use of the Moderna vaccine in people aged 18 and over.

In a statement, the French body said that "the Moderna COVID-19 nucleoside-modified mRNA vaccine can be used in people aged 18 and over, including in the elderly due to its efficiency and a satisfactory safety profile."

On Thursday, Italy's drug regulator granted a license to the Moderna vaccine a day after the jab got approval from the central EU agency.

There are two coronavirus vaccines currently with authorization of use in the European Union — by Moderna and the Pfizer-BioNTech duo.