Amanda Kloots has responded to social media followers who took issue with the fitness pro getting vaccinated following the death of her husband, Nick Cordero, last summer.
The daytime talk show personality, 38, shared a photo of herself receiving the COVID-19 vaccine Friday night, upsetting many fans, as only essential workers and residents over 65 are allowed to take the vaccine in Los Angeles at this time.
“Can you explain why you got the vaccine ahead of 65 yr olds and first responders here in LA that cant get them yet,” asked one follower, as another wrote, “inquiring minds want to know how you got your vaccine while those working in schools still cannot even book an appointment 🧐🤔.”
Kloots amended her caption to address those questioning how she received the vaccine, imploring fans not to shame her for attempting to protect herself following the passing of husband Cordero, who died July 2020 due to complications from coronavirus.
“I went to a site and waited in my car until all appointments were over in hopes that they had any extra vaccines,” she explained. “I was fully prepared to be turned away, but they said they had enough tonight for everyone waiting. I cannot tell you how emotional I was and still am right now.”
She added, “I have been terrified since Nick has passed, as a single mother of getting this virus and now I am one step closer.”
She also addressed the backlash via her Instagram stories, saying, “First of all, vaccine shaming should not happen. Everyone should be getting this vaccine, and anyone that gets it, we should be celebrating that one more person has got the vaccine.
“I knew that I could possibly be turned away,” she continued, “but I drove [there], and I waited in a line in the hopes that at the end of the day, at the end of appointments, they may have extra vaccines that would otherwise be thrown out,” she said, teary-eyed. “And instead of being thrown out, they were put into an arm…an arm of a surviving single mother that deserves to have an extra vaccine that would have been thrown in the trash.
“So, sorry that I am getting a little emotional, but this was a very emotional experience for me. I was perfectly fine being turned away tonight if that was the case. I was actually prepared to be turned away. I was giving it a shot, and luckily the shot worked and they had availability and they were happy to have people there waiting with willing arms. And I was happy to be one of those willing arms.”