Dolly Parton hasn't received vaccine despite donating $1 million
75-year-old Dolly Parton has confirmed that she hasn't received the vaccine for COVID-19 yet, but is waiting patiently.
This is despite the country music legend donating USD $1 million to vaccine development.
"I'm going to get it, though," she said Thursday to CNN. "I didn't want to jump line. I didn't donate the money so I could be protected. I did it for everybody."
This is despite the singer learning that her donation helped fund Moderna's promising vaccine at the same time as the rest of the world.
She was beaming with pride at the news when she found out.
"Praise the lord!" she told "Today" hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager. "I'm just very grateful that this is happening, and if I had anything to do with it, that's great."
"I just felt so proud to have been part of that little seed money that will hopefully grow into something great and help to heal this world," she said. "I'm a very proud girl today to know I had anything at all to do with something that's going to help us through this crazy pandemic."
The Moderna vaccine is thought to be 94.5% effective against coronavirus, with the company tracking new mutations in COVID-19, including the highly contagious UK, South African and Brazilian strains.