‘Vaccine, vaccine!’ Dolly Parton bursts into song as she receives Covid jab

Dolly Parton can’t help but spread cheer – even when having a needle jabbed into her arm. The country music legend had fans laughing on Tuesday when she uploaded a video of herself bursting into song as she received her first dose of the Moderna Covid vaccine, which she helped fund.

“I even changed one of my songs to fit the occasion,” the 75-year-old can be heard saying in the video, which she shared onto her own personal Instagram account, before launching into an amended version of one of her best-known hits ‘Joelene’.

“It goes, ‘Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, I’m begging of you please don’t hesitate. Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, because once you’re dead, then that’s a bit too late’.”

Last year the Grammy-winning legend generously donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, for coronavirus research. That money helped fund the Moderna vaccine.

“I’m so excited,” the singer, who was dressed in a sparkly top, then says in the video. “I’ve been waiting a while.”

She then proceeded to crack a few jokes, before relaying a serious message to her 4 million followers. “I’m old enough to get it and I’m smart enough to get it. 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 just wanted to encourage everybody because the sooner we get to feeling better, the sooner we are going to get back to being normal.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Dolly Parton (@dollyparton)

It didn’t take long before fans of Dolly’s praised the singer for her efforts, with one writing: “One more reason to love you!!” Another added: “Best video I have seen in 50 weeks. Dolly, you’re a peach.” While a third wrote: “Dear Dolly you utter legend! Thanks so much for everything you did to get this vaccine going. Not all heroes wear capes!!”

Dolly isn’t the only famous figure to encourage others to get the coronavirus vaccine. Just last week, Queen Elizabeth II called on Brits to get the Covid-19 jab and told those with doubts to “think about other people rather than themselves“. In a video call with health officials, the 94-year-old monarch, who received the first dose of the jab back in January alongside her husband Prince Philip, 99, noted that her own vaccination process was “very quick” and “didn’t hurt at all”.

Other notable figures who have received the jab include Ian McKellen, Elton John, Michael Caine and David Attenborough.