The currently available COVID-19 mRNA vaccines have been reviewed and authorized for use by the US FDA, under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) process, and so technically they are not considered fully approved. This EUA process is used in times of urgency to enable medications to become available more quickly than usual. This had never been used before for a vaccine
Stop splitting hairs. the vaccines were reviewed for effectiveness, safety and quality by the FDA before being approved for emergency use. Period.