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Watch: Dolly Parton Gets A Dose Of Her Own Medicine

The legendary singer-songwriter gets a dose of COVID-19 vaccine partially funded by her donation

Dolly Parton has received a dose of the Moderna vaccine, which she helped to partially fund via a $1 million donation to Vanderbilt University Medical Center last year.

Parton posted a video on Twitter, sharing her experience getting the vaccine, which was given to her by Dr. Naji Abumrad.

“I’m finally gonna get my vaccine, I’m so excited” she said in the video. “I’ve been waiting awhile. 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. And I want to tell everybody that I think you should get out there and do it, too.”

The video showed a masked Parton receiving her vaccine—and in true Parton fashion, she dressed for the occasion, in a sparkly shirt with sleeve cutouts that made it easy for Dr. Abumrad to administer the shot.

In April 2020, Parton made a $1 million donation to COVID-19 research at Vanderbilt, which was then partially used to fund Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. Moderna previously announced its vaccine is 94.5% effective against the virus.

“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 research of the coronavirus for a cure,” Parton said at that time.

In November, Parton revealed that she didn’t know her funds had been used to create the Moderna vaccine until her name appeared among the other sponsors in a report on the vaccine from The New England Journal of Medicine.

At the time, she told TODAY hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager, “Praise the lord! I’m just very grateful that this is happening, and if I had anything to do with it, that’s great.”

In the new video, Parton revamped her hit “Jolene,” instead singing “Vaccine,” and adding the lyrics: I’m begging of you please don’t hesitate…because when you’re dead that’s a bit too late.

“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, if we could get back to that? But anyhow I want to encourage everybody, because the sooner we get back to feeling better, the sooner we can get back to 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.”

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