Jennifer Aniston doubles down after receiving criticism over removing non-vaccinated people from her life: 'We have to care about more than just ourselves'

• Aniston previously said she removed people from her "weekly routine" who refused to get vaccinated.
• On Thursday, she defended her decision on Instagram.
• "If you have the variant, you are still able to give it to me," Aniston said.

Jennifer Aniston has hit back at those who criticized her after she revealed that she has cut ties with "a few people" in her personal life because they refused to get vaccinated or disclose their vaccine status.

On Thursday night, Aniston posted a screenshot of a comment from an Instagram account that questioned why she was "worried" about people who are not vaccinated if she has already been vaccinated.

"Because if you have the variant, you are still able to give it to me," Aniston responded to the comment.

"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 added: "That is why I worry. We have to care about more than just ourselves."

The COVID-19 vaccines have been extremely successful at preventing serious illnesses that could lead to hospitalizations and deaths. In July, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reported that data indicated that 99.5% of COVID-19 deaths in the US were unvaccinated people.

However, no vaccine is 100% effective at preventing infection. Among the 157 million fully vaccinated Americans, 733 have died of COVID-19 as of July 6, according to CDC data. At least 3,554 people had been hospitalized and survived. The CDC is no longer tracking mild breakthrough cases.

Jennifer Aniston initially told InStyle magazine that she has had to weed out people from her personal life because they had "refused" to take the vaccine.

"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," she told the publication. "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: "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."

Throughout the pandemic, Aniston has been vocal about the importance of observing COVID-19 safety protocols, such as self-isolating and wearing a mask.

Last June, she posted a selfie wearing a face mask with the accompanying caption: "This simple and effective recommendation is being politicized at the expense of peoples' lives. And it really shouldn't be a debate."