A variant of the coronavirus identified in the Brazilian Amazon may be three times more contagious, but early analyzes suggest that vaccines are still effective against it, the country’s health minister said Thursday, without providing evidence of the claims.

Under pressure as the variant hits the jungle city of Manaus with a devastating second wave of infections, Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello tried to reassure lawmakers that the increase in recent months was unexpected but under control.

He also told a Senate hearing that Brazil would vaccinate half of its eligible population by June and the rest by the end of the year, an ambitious goal since the country barely has guaranteed doses for half the population.

Brazil started immunizations with vaccines made by China’s Sinovac Biotech and Britain’s AstraZeneca about three weeks ago. Pazuello did not explain how his effectiveness against the Manaus variant was analyzed.

“Thank God, we had clear news from the analysis that the vaccines still have an effect against this variant,” Pazuello said. But it is more contagious. According to our analysis, it is three times more contagious. “

The Health Ministry, which has not provided information on the analysis, did not immediately respond to a request for more information.

The Butantan institute in Sao Paulo, which partnered with Sinovac to test and produce the Chinese vaccine, said in a statement that it had begun studies on the Manaus variant but would not have a conclusion for two weeks.

The Fiocruz biomedical center in Rio de Janeiro, which partnered with AstraZeneca to fill and finish doses of its vaccine developed with the University of Oxford, said it is studying its efficacy against the Amazon variant, sent samples to Oxford and is awaiting results.

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