The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given full approval to Moderna Inc's Covid-19 vaccine for people age 18 and older, making it the second fully approved vaccine for the virus, reports Reuters.

The Moderna vaccine has been authorised for emergency use in the United States since December 2020, and will now be sold under the brand name Spikevax.

“The public can be assured that Spikevax meets the FDA's high standards for safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality required of any vaccine approved for use in the United States,” Acting FDA Commissioner Dr Janet Woodcock said in a statement.