LOS ANGELES – Friends star Jennifer Aniston has hit back at criticism over her decision to cut unvaccinated people from her life.
In an interview in InStyle magazine’s September issue, the 52-year-old said: “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 added: “There’s still a large group of people who are anti-vaxxers or just don’t listen to the facts. It’s a real shame.”
On Thursday (Aug 6), she defended her stance in a series of Instagram Stories and responded to a comment which asked: “But if she’s vaccinated, she’s protected, correct? Why be worried about unvaxxed around her?”
Aniston replied: “Because if you have the variant, you are still able to give it to me. I may get slightly sick but I will not be admitted to a hospital and or die.
“But I can give it to someone 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.”
She concluded: “That is why I worry. We have to care about more than just ourselves here.”
In vaccination-related news, Offspring drummer Pete Parada, 48, revealed earlier this week on Instagram that he had been kicked out of the Californian pop punk band because he did not want to be vaccinated.
“Since I am unable to comply with what is increasingly becoming an industry mandate, it has recently been decided that I am unsafe to be around, in the studio, and on tour … you won’t be seeing me at these upcoming shows,” he wrote. “I also want to share my story so that anyone else experiencing the agony and isolation of getting left behind right now knows they’re not entirely alone.”
Due to his “personal medical history and the side-effect profile of these jabs”, he chose not to be vaccinated. He added that he had no negative feelings towards the band: “They’re doing what they believe is best for them, while I am doing the same.”
