Dolly Parton may save us all. Literally.
On Monday, drugmaker Moderna announced that it’s developing a COVID-19 vaccine that has proven to be 94.5 percent effective, “joining Pfizer as a front-runner in the global race to contain a raging pandemic that has killed 1.2 million people worldwide,” according to the New York Times. Funding for the vaccine, which could be given to “more than 20 million people in the United States by sometime in December,” came from, among others, country legend and all-around national treasure Dolly Parton.
The “Jolene” singer donated $1 million to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center earlier this year after her “longtime friend Dr. Naji Abumrad, who’s been involved in research at Vanderbilt for many years, informed me that they were making some exciting advancements towards that research of the coronavirus for a cure,” she wrote in a statement. Parton and Dr. Abumrad became buddies when he treated her after she was involved in a car accident; his son, Jad, later hosted the Dolly Parton’s America podcast:
Moderna’s efforts to clinch a vaccine were funded, in part, the Dolly Parton COVID-19 Research Fund as part of the musician’s unwavering support for the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, according to an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The centre was one of several key players and institutions in public health that have supported Moderna’s months-long bid to contain COVID-19.
Parton (who you can also thank for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer show) hasn’t publicly taken credit for the good news, but Twitter is happy to salute the angel among us.
Yes, Dolly Parton part-funded research which went towards the Moderna vaccine which has reported 94.5% effectiveness. pic.twitter.com/tdyFWRnvsz
— Richard Chambers (@newschambers) November 17, 2020
https://twitter.com/DaveRegis1/status/1328627341413724162
https://twitter.com/ksteeno/status/1328607876458266625
Dolly Parton just casually saving the world from covid by funding the new vaccine with 95% success rate pic.twitter.com/puxEEZLmHL
— Benji Wilson (@benljwilson1996) November 17, 2020
And once again, Saint Dolly Parton graces us with her kind donation to help expedite a Covid-19 vaccine.
Dolly Bless You All. Dolly Be Praised. For We Are All Humble. 😇 pic.twitter.com/Sji7jn7laB
— Kiejah D. (@kiejahd) November 17, 2020
Dolly Parton contributed $1m to the development of the Moderna vaccine – just in case we didn’t all acknowledge how amazing she is already. pic.twitter.com/gULagux3ID
— Cllr. Séamas de Faoite (@SeamasBelfast) November 17, 2020
https://twitter.com/shane_reaction_/status/1328703982743777282
I want everyone to know that Dolly Parton gave us Buffy the tv series, the song 9 to 5, Dollywood, and of course the Covid vaccine. https://t.co/mCPB3QlCpZ
— Kevidently (@Kevidently) November 17, 2020
https://twitter.com/broken_rhi/status/1328491372156841985
[To the tune of “Jolene”] “Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine.” (Sorry.)
(Via Yahoo! News)