Those groups would cover teachers and critical workers in high-risk settings.
A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now infected more than 75.5 million people worldwide and killed over 1.6 million of them, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted 11-0 to recommend Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine to patients 18 years and older under the emergency use authorization.
Three members recused themselves in Saturday's virtual vote.
The ACIP is an independent group of medical experts that advises the CDC.
-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart
New COVID-19 deaths have increased nearly 14% week-over-week, according to an internal U.S. Health and Human Services memo obtained by ABC News.
There were 18,358 deaths recorded from Dec. 12 to 18 -- marking a 13.8% increase compared with the previous week, the memo said.
During that time, there were over 1.5 million new cases, up 5.6% from the previous seven-day period.
Across the country, 32% of hospitals have more than 80% of their intensive care unit beds filled, 23% of inpatients have COVID-19, and 34% of ventilators in use are occupied by patients with COVID-19.
Hospitalization rates are surging in Arizona, New Hampshire, Nevada, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C., the memo noted.
Fatalities rose 171% in Colorado between the weeks ending Dec. 8 and Dec. 15, it said.
-ABC News' Josh Margolin
The first Moderna vaccines will likely be administered on Monday, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said.
They will begin delivery on Monday, at which point "we will likely see the first vaccinations with this vaccine," Azar said on Twitter Saturday.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a stricter "tier 4" lockdown for London and southeast England on Saturday, citing a rapidly spreading new strain of COVID-19 detected by government scientists.
The new strain was not more dangerous, he stressed during a press briefing, but it was spreading faster, particularly in London and southeast England. The new variant may be 70% more transmissible than any strain previously detected, he said. There is no evidence a vaccine is less effective against it, he added.
The new restrictions go into effect Sunday morning. People are encouraged to stay home, and only one household indoors and two households outdoors will be allowed.
Previously, up to three households could gather from Dec. 23-27.
“We cannot continue with Christmas as planned," Johnson said Saturday.
All nonessential shops, sports facilities and gyms will also close.
The restrictions will last at least two weeks.
-ABC News' Mike Trew contributed to this report
