Dolly Parton, Who Helped Fund a COVID-19 Vaccine, Is Waiting on Her Turn so Others Can Go First

From Prevention

• Dolly Parton, 75, says she still hasn’t received the COVID-19 vaccine, despite being in an eligible age group.

• The country music icon donated $1 million to researchers last year, partially funding the development of the Moderna vaccine.
  

• “I didn’t donate the money so I could be protected. I did it for everybody,” Parton said.
  

The Queen of Country has proved yet again why she’s beloved by generations of fans. Despite donating a seven-figure sum to COVID-19 vaccine development and being old enough to receive her dose, Dolly Parton says she still hasn’t rolled up her sleeve—she’s waiting for others to get their chance first.

“I didn’t want to jump line,” Parton, 75, told CNN last week. “I didn’t donate the money so I could be protected. I did it for everybody.”

Last year, before any COVID-19 vaccines had been authorized for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration, Parton established a namesake COVID-19 research fund and donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University’s infectious disease researchers, who were instrumental in developing the Moderna vaccine. At the time of publication, more than 18 million Moderna doses have been distributed to Americans, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Parton, of course, still plans to get vaccinated. “I’m going to get it,” she explained to the Associated Press. “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.”

A little fanfare isn’t out of the question, though: “When I get it, I’ll probably do it on camera so people will know,” the “Jolene” singer said. “I’ll tell them the truth, if I have symptoms and all that. Hopefully it’ll encourage people.” (Other celebrities, from Martha Stewart to Jane Fonda, have also posted publicly about receiving their own doses.)

In typical Dolly Parton fashion, she’s refusing to make the whole thing about her. “I get a lot more credit than I deserve, I think,” she told the AP, “but I was just happy to be a part of any and all of that.”

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