Brazil will receive a first batch of 3 million doses of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) vaccine against COVID-19 in the next few days, Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga said on Tuesday.

Queiroga said export of the vaccines, developed by J&J's Janssen subsidiary, from the United States still requires authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

"Of course, if the FDA's decision is delayed, these 3 million doses may no longer be useful for us, due to the short time," he said testifying before a Senate commission of inquiry into the Brazilian governments handling of the pandemic.

This batch of vaccines expire on June 27. Queiroga said they would have to be administered "very fast" in Brazil's national immunization program before they expire.

Brazil signed an agreement with Janssen to receive 38 million doses for delivery in the last quarter of this year, so the first batch is arriving earlier than expected, Queiroga said.