Country icon Dolly Parton is, perhaps, the cure to vaccine hesitancy we have needed, going into a new frontier in the fight against Covid-19.
Watch: Dolly Parton inoculated singing ‘Jolene’
At a time when efforts to encourage participation in the vaccine program were diminishing, a voice was needed. Who knew Parton would be the saviour to swoop in and save the day?
With the US gripped in a political quagmire on whether to unilaterally open the economy or follow a cautionary, Anthony Fauci-backed approach, the 75-year-old iconic songstress flexed her chords to a ‘vaccine’ rendition of her 1974 Folk classic Jolene.
Parton looked on, calm in her demeanour, as a single shot of the Moderna vaccine was thrust into her arm. In the video that’s since one viral, the 75-year-old dared sceptics to grow a few and stop being “such a chicken squat.”
“Get out there and get your shot,” she said
Dolly gets a dose of her own medicine. @VUMChealth pic.twitter.com/38kJrDzLqC
— Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) March 2, 2021
Parton helped fund Moderna vaccine
The inoculation took place at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, the same facility that accepted a R14 million ($1 million) donation from the 75-year-old to assist with their early vaccine trials.
Moderna is permitted for emergency use by the US’ Food and Drug Association (FDA). However, the oversight authority has not approved it.
At this time, South Africa has not confirmed if negotiations are ongoing with Moderna.
Archbishop of Cape Town Thabo Makgoba, in an interview with The Intercept, has pleaded with US president Joe Biden to expedite the process — if any exists — and grant South Africa access to the highly effective vaccine as soon as humanly possible.
“I would say to President Biden: ‘You have an amazing opportunity to be a force for good in the world. So we are appealing to you … look at those that are suffering and ensure that there is access, particularly to the global south, to this lifesaving vaccine.’” he said.
