BRUSSELS: The European Commission gave approval on Wednesday for the use of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by US company Moderna, the final step in the EU's authorisation process.

"With the Moderna vaccine, the second one now authorised in the EU, we will have a further 160 million doses. And more vaccines will come," Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, said in a statement.

European Union countries started vaccinations on Dec. 27 and are trying to catch up with countries including the US or Israel where large numbers of people have already received the inoculation.