Dolly Parton got her COVID-19 vaccine, and now she is encouraging others to do the same. The 75-year-old shared her experience on social media, including allowing fans to watch her receive her shot, by her good friend, Dr. Naji Abumrad.
“I’m finally gonna get my vaccine,’ Parton said. “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. I wanted to tell everybody that you should get out there and do it too.”
Parton then launched into a new version of her classic song, “Jolene,” singing instead, “Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, please don’t hesitate / Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, ‘Cause once you’re dead, then that’s a bit too late,” before sharing a word of admonition to anyone watching.
Dolly gets a dose of her own medicine. @VUMChealth pic.twitter.com/38kJrDzLqC
— Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) March 2, 2021
“I’m trying to be funny now, but I’m dead serious about the vaccine,” Parton said. “We all want to get back to normal, whatever that is, and that would be a great shot in the arm, wouldn’t it, to get back to that. I just wanted to encourage everybody, because the sooner we get to feeling better, the sooner we are gong to get back to being normal. I just want to say to all of you cowards out there, don’t be such a chicken squat. Get out there and get your shot.”
Parton previously said she would not use her fame, or her generous one million dollar donation towards funding research for a successful vaccine, to become vaccinated ahead of anyone else.
“I’m not going to get mine until some more people get theirs,” Parton maintained (via WKRN). “I don’t want it to look like I’m jumping the line just because I donated money. I’m very funny about that. I’m going to get mine though, but I’m going to wait. I’m at the age where I could have gotten mine legally last week. I turned 75. I was going to do it on my birthday, and I thought, ‘Nah, don’t do that.’ You’ll look like you’re just doing a show.
“None of my work is really like that,” she continued. “I wasn’t doing it for a show. I’m going to get mine. I want it. I’m going to get it. When I get it, I’ll probably do it on camera so people will know and I’ll tell them the truth, if I have symptoms and all that. Hopefully it’ll encourage people. I’m not going to jump the line just because I could.”