Dolly Parton just received a dose of her own medicine, as the famous singer-songwriter has received her first shot of the Moderna vaccine for which she helped fund integral research last year.
Parton posted a video on Instagram of herself receiving her first of two required doses. As Dolly exclaims in the clip, “I’m finally gonna get my vaccine, I’m so excited! I’ve been waiting a while, I’m old enough to get it, and I’m smart enough to get it, so I’m very happy that I’m gonna get my Moderna shot today, and I wanted to tell everybody that you should go out there and do it, too.”
As Parton continues, “I even changed one of my songs to fit the occasions.” Yep, you know where this is going [to the tune of “Jolene”]’: “It goes, ‘Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vacciiiiine, I’m begging of you please don’t hesitate. Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vacciiiiine, ‘cus once you’re dead, then that’s a bit too late.”
After a quick break for some laughs, Dolly continues, “I know I’m trying to be funny now, but I’m dead serious about the vaccine. I think we all want to get back to normal, whatever that is, and that would be a great shot in the arm, wouldn’t it?”
Her tone growing ever more serious, Parton surmises, “I just wanna say to all of you cowards out there: don’t be such a chicken squat, get out there and get your shot. That’s my message to you.”
As the clip continues, Dolly masks up and welcomes her friend and Vanderbilt University medical researcher Dr. Naji Abumrad to give her the injection. As the doctor prepares the vaccine, Dolly muses, “You’ve been here for years doing research at Vanderbilt and you and I have been friends forever, and I thought it was only appropriate that you should be the one to give me my shot today.
Dolly Parton receiving her Moderna COVID-19 vaccine from Dr. Abumrad marks a momentous end to a surprising and inspiring saga. Parton and Abumrad have been friends for years, dating back to when he treated the singer at Vanderbilt University Medical Center following a car accident in 2014.
Back in April of last year, when we were still learning to understand to novel coronavirus, Parton announced that she had made a donation of one million dollars to Vanderbilt to aid in their efforts to research a cure for the novel coronavirus. develop a cure.
As Dolly explained at the time, “My longtime friend Dr. Naji Abumrad, who’s been involved in research at Vanderbilt for many years, informed me that they were making some exciting advancements towards that research of the coronavirus for a cure. I am making a donation of $1 million to Vanderbilt towards that research and encourage people that can afford it to make donations.”
When the 94.5%-effective Moderna shots were approved in November of 2020, the Dolly Parton COVID-19 Research Fund was credited as a source of funding for the newly developed mRNA vaccine, which is currently being distributed across the country.
Watch Dolly Parton get her first dose of the Moderna vaccine she helped to develop from her old pal, Dr. Naji Abumrad, at Vanderbilt University in the video below:
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