'Vaccine! Vaccine!' Dolly Parton receives Covid-19 vaccine from Lebanese-American doctor friend

Dolly Parton revealed that she received the Covid-19 vaccine - courtesy of her friend, a Lebanese-American doctor.
2 min read
03 March, 2021
Parton thanked her friend, Lebanese-American Dr Naji Abumrad [Getty]



Dolly Parton has taken to Instagram to reveal that her friend, a Lebanese-American doctor, had administered the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine to her.

The global country music icon uploaded a photograph and video clip featuring Dr. Naji Abumrad, a Vanderbilt doctor she met after a car crash in 2013.

Seven years later their friendship would lead to her donating one million dollars to Vanderbilt researchers to help with the development of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Dr. Abumrad received his medical degree from the American University of Beirut in Lebanon in 1971 before moving to New York for a residency.

He was Assistant Professor of Surgery at the State University of New York before leaving in 1979 to join the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine as Research Assistant Professor of Surgery and Medicine.


"You and I have been friends for ever and I thought it was only appropriate that you should be the one to give me my shot," Parton said to Abumrad in the video. "I've been waiting a while and I'm old enough to get it and I'm smart enough to get it."

She added: "I just wanna say to all of you cowards out there: Don't be such a chicken squat, get out there and get your shot."

In the video, Parton sings a remix of her classic "Jolene," singing a capella: "Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, I'm beggin' of you, please don't hesitate. ... 'Cause once you're dead, then that's a bit too late."

US President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that there would be enough doses of the coronavirus vaccine available for the entire adult population in the United States by the end of May, however urged people to continue to wear masks as inoculation will take time.

"As a consequence of the stepped up process that I ordered, and just outlined, this country will have enough vaccine supply as a target for every adult in America by the end of May," Biden said.

"By the end of May. That’s progress. Important progress."

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