Map Shows Least Vaccinated States

While the coronavirus pandemic saw a massive push for vaccinations nationwide, not all states are equal in their general vaccination levels.
While vaccinations prevent the spread of diseases like polio, measles and chickenpox, some Americans choose not to vaccinate due to health concerns, side effects or skepticism in the vaccine itself. In other cases, accessibility issues prevent Americans from getting vaccinated.
In a new report from WalletHub, the following states saw the lowest rates of vaccinations for general diseases: Mississippi, Alaska, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Texas.
Topping the list for vaccinated residents were Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, Washington and Maryland.
Across the board, states that voted Democratic tended to have higher rates of vaccinations, but the age, race and education level of residents can also impact the likelihood of being up to date with all recommended immunizations.
Blue states also saw strong HPV vaccination rates and kindergarten immunization requirements.
Some groups, like racial minorities and young people, have been considerably more apprehensive about getting a vaccine, especially pertaining to the relatively new coronavirus shots.
The World Health Organization estimates vaccines prevent from 4 to 5 million deaths per year.
“Seeing as being anti vaccination has become trendy in some circles and misinformation is all over the internet, it’s more crucial now than ever to spread awareness of the benefits of vaccines and make sure as many people as possible receive potentially life-saving immunizations,” Chip Lupo, WalletHub analyst, said in a statement. “The states that vaccinate the most provide the safest environments when it comes to public health, as the likelihood that the next outbreak will begin or spread there is minimized.”
​Regarding the coronavirus, 81 percent of Americans have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 70 percent of the country is considered fully vaccinated.
But the coronavirus vaccine isn’t the only jab that garners skepticism among some circles in America. Rates for the HPV vaccine were also down among teenagers for the second consecutive year, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Compared to kids born in 2007, the percentage of teens who had received the HPV vaccine was 10.3 percentage points lower for those born in 2010. The HPV vaccine is known to prevent cancer that occurs as a result of the human papillomavirus.
“Vaccines are the key,” Preeti Malani, physician and infectious disease researcher and chief health officer at the University of Michigan, previously told Newsweek. “And vaccine hesitancy is the obstacle.”