Flu season is upon us, which means that pharmacists across the country will soon begin administering vaccines to thousands of patients.But with growing fears about patients opting out of receiving vaccinations, how will 2019 fare for vaccinations?To help sort it out, personal finance site WalletHub put together a list of “2019’s States that Vaccinate the Most.” To rank all 50 states and Washington, D.C., they gathered 18 metrics, falling into three categories: Child and teen immunization rates, adult and elderly vaccination rates, and immunization barriers and uptake factors.Here are the 10 best and 10 worst states for immunization in 2019.
10 Worst States for Immunization
51. Mississippi
50. Texas
49. Florida
48. Georgia
47. Indiana
Mississippi ranked dead last in child immunization, plummeting its score. Meanwhile, Florida was worst in the adult and elderly vaccination rate category, though it ranked relatively high at 28 for child vaccination. Texas scored near the bottom in all categories, and Georgia and Indiana also posted low-but not as low-scores in all as well.
10 Worst States for Immunization (cont.)
46. Arizona
45. Nevada
44. New Jersey
43. New York
42. Wyoming
Arizona ranked 49 out of 51 in both child vaccination rates and in barriers/uptake issues, though it was helped by a modest rank of 33 for adult vaccination. Nevada ranked 50 for adult vaccination rates, but it’s overall ranking was boosted by a higher child vaccination rate ranking. Wyoming is an interesting case, ranking very poorly (46) for child immunization rates, but very high (9) for barriers/uptake issues.
10 Best States for Immunization
10. Washington
9. West Virginia
8. South Dakota
7. Delaware
6. Nebraska
Washington’s overall ranking was brought down by its low score in child immunization rates and barriers/uptake issues (24 for both), but was saved by its second-place rank for adult rates. Nebraska ranked a respectable 10 for vaccination rates for both adults and children, and even higher at 5 for barriers/uptake issues.
10 Best States for Immunization (cont.)
5. New Hampshire
4. North Dakota
3. Rhode Island
2. Vermont
1. Massachusetts
New Hampshire almost didn’t make the top 5-its barrier/uptake rank is a low 29, but it is saved by a high ranking for child/adult vaccination rates (3 and 7, respectively). Vermont was another story-it took top spot in both adult vaccination rates and in barriers/uptake issues, but it’s relatively low ranking of 15 for child immunization pulled it down to 2. Overall, Massachusetts takes top prize, with the highest child vaccination rates pushing it into the lead.
