Dolly Parton gets a dose of her own medicine - and a COVID-19 vaccination

As the global megastar, who donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Centre in Tennessee to help fund a COVID-19 vaccination, changed the lyrics to Jolene for the occasion.

"Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, I'm begging of you please don't hesitate," she sang.

Parton had earlier told the Associated Press she was going to wait until it became more widely available because she didn't want to be seen to be queue-jumping.

"I'm so excited. I've been waiting a while," the singer said in the video.

"I'm old enough to get it and I'm smart enough to get it. I'm trying to be funny now, but I'm dead serious about the vaccine.

Elsewhere in the US, Texas is lifting its mask mandate, making it the largest US state to end an order to prevent coronavirus spread amid the deaths of more than 42,000 residents.

The mask order was only ever lightly enforced, even during the worst outbreaks of the pandemic.

From March 10 the state was will also remove limits on the number of diners or customers allowed inside businesses, Republican Governor Greg Abbott.

- with Australian Associated Press