Dolly Parton received her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination this week, and she documented the big moment for her fans.
Taking to social media yesterday, the iconic country singer shared a video of her experience getting her first jab. And it was an especially important moment for Parton, as back in November, she donated $1 million to research efforts for creating the vaccine near the height of the pandemic. Parton even attended her vaccination appointment in style, opting for a shimmery knit purple sweater with cutout shoulder detailing that allowed easy access to her arm.
"I'm finally going to get my vaccine, I'm so excited," said Parton in the video. "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 going to get my Moderna shot today."
Parton also encouraged everyone watching to get their shots too. "I wanted to tell everybody that you should get out there and do it too. I even changed one of my songs to fit the occasion," she continued, before bursting into a reworked version of her 1974 hit "Jolene." "Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, I'm begging of you please don't hesitate / Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, 'cause once you're dead, then that's a bit too late," she sang.
Following the news of her generous donation, Parton spoke with Hoda Kotb of the Today show, sharing why she felt compelled to contribute and start her Dolly Parton COVID-19 Research Fund.
"Back when we started the fund, I was just hoping we might find some cures or whatever, but now it looks like it might be happening and I'm just very grateful that this is happening," the singer said at the time. "If I had anything to do with it, then that's great."
Bianca Betancourt is the culture editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com, where she covers all things film, TV, music, and more. When she's not writing, she loves impulsively baking a batch of cookies, re-listening to the same early-2000s pop playlist, and stalking Mariah Carey's Twitter feed.
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