Prioritizing health. In terms of the pandemic, Jennifer Aniston is thinking about herd immunity rather than just herself.
After the Friends star, 52, recently revealed that she cut ties with individuals in her friend group for not getting vaccinated or disclosing their status, she was met with several critical responses from fans and followers.
The Cake actress took to Instagram Stories on Thursday, August 5, to set the record straight. Aniston replied to a follower’s comment, who asked, “But what if she’s vaccinated she’s protected correct? Why be worried about unvaxxed around her?” She reposted the question before writing out her reply.
“Because if you have the variant, you are still able to give it to me,” she explained on her page. “I may get slightly sick but I will not be admitted to a hospital and or die. BUT I CAN give it to someone else who does not have the vaccine and whose health is compromised (or has a previous existing condition) — and therefore I would put their lives at risk.”
In addition to her impassioned message, the Murder Mystery star also shared a masked selfie on her Story with the text, “These comments” and a sad-face emoji. In another slide, she posted an embroidered piece of fabric that read, “What doesn’t kill you mutates and tries again,” alongside a blushing emoji and a mask-wearing one.
“THAT is why I worry,” she concluded. “We have to care about more than just ourselves here.”
Aniston previously spoke about the coronavirus pandemic and vaccine rollout during a September 2021 cover interview with InStyle.
“There’s still a large group of people who are anti-vaxxers or just don’t listen to the facts,” she told the magazine, which released the feature on Tuesday, August 3. “It’s a real shame. I’ve just lost a few people in my weekly routine who have refused or did not disclose [whether or not they had been vaccinated], and it was unfortunate.”
She continued, “I feel it’s your moral and professional obligation to inform, since we’re not all podded up and being tested every single day. It’s tricky because everyone is entitled to their own opinion — but a lot of opinions don’t feel based in anything except fear or propaganda.”
Jennifer Aniston Courtesy of Jennifer Aniston/Instagram
Previously, the Morning Show star has been outspoken about her support for the COVID-19 vaccine and mask mandates, even sharing several masked photos of herself via Instagram.
“I understand masks are inconvenient and uncomfortable,” she wrote in a June post, alongside a snap of herself wearing a black face mask. “But don’t you feel that it’s worse that businesses are shutting down… jobs are being lost… health care workers are hitting absolute exhaustion. And so many lives have been taken by this virus because we aren’t doing enough.” She continued at the time, “If you care about human life, please… just #wearadamnmask 😷 and encourage those around you to do the same ❤️.”
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