'I've felt the love': Kevin Pietersen lauds India for sending COVID vaccines to S Africa

After India delivered COVID-19 vaccines to South Africa, former England skipper Kevin Pietersen on Wednesday lauded the nation saying that the country's 'love, passion, energy, and hospitality' could not be paralleled with any other nation. Kevin Pietersen also expressed his gratitude to India for teaching him and giving him so much throughout his career. 

"India has taught me so much and also given me so much, throughout my career. I've felt the love, passion, energy, and hospitality that not many other countries can compare with. The world is seeing its care with the delivery of the vaccine to SA this week," Pietersen tweeted.

Earlier while replying to EAM Jaishankar's tweet, Pietersen had hailed India saying that its 'generosity and kindness' grew every single day. 

Read: South Africa To Store COVID-19 Vaccines From India At Secret Place For Fear Of Theft, Black Market Sales

Read: Kevin Pietersen Reacts To Indian Government's Gesture Of Sending Vaccines To South Africa

India sends vaccine to South Africa

On February 1, 'Made in India' vaccines from the Serum Institute of India, Pune reached South Africa's Johannesburg. About 1.5 million doses are expected from India by the end of February with healthcare workers in both government and private facilities being prioritized for vaccination. Sharing the development, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, tweeted- "In it together. Made in India vaccines land in Johannesburg, South Africa."

Meanwhile, South African media has reported that the government will store the 1.5 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from India at a secret place because of the risk of theft for sale at black market prices.“There will be a central place where the consignment will be stored and from where we will distribute it to hospital and clinic pharmacies that can store it,” Department of Health spokesperson Popo Maja told weekly City Press.

While the SII vaccine has not been approved by South African regulators, the government has asserted that were fine-tuning and aligning all the regulations and processes based on the vaccine's approval by various regulators in other countries. The vaccines come as a major relief for South Africa which is currently battling with the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Read: COVID-19 Vaccines Would Provide Protection Even As Virus Evolves, Says Oxford Expert

Read: India Becomes Fastest Country In World To Reach 4 Million COVID-19 Vaccination Mark