Wyoming Ranked as One of the Worst States for Vaccination Rates
A vast majority of Wyoming residents have been very outspoken when it comes to their thoughts on COVID-19 vaccines.
That's why it comes as no surprise that a new study conducted by personal finance website, WalletHub, ranked the Cowboy State near the bottom on their "2022’s States that Vaccinate the Most". As a matter of fact, out of all fifty states and the District of Columbia, Wyoming ranked 43rd overall.
It is worth noting, that this study includes multiple vaccines in general, (including flu shots).
WalletHub stated:
Vaccines prevent 4 to 5 million deaths per year according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
In order to find out which states vaccinate most, WalletHub analyzed the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 17 key metrics, ranging from the share of vaccinated children to the share of people without health insurance to the flu vaccination rate among adults.
Here are a few of those key metrics and how Wyoming ranked:
- Influenza Vaccination Rate in Children Aged 6 Months to 17 Years - 49th
- Share of Teenagers Aged 13-17 with Up-To-Date HPV Vaccination - 49th
- Share of Teenagers Aged 13-17 with Men ACWY Vaccination - 50th
- Flu Vaccination Coverage Rate Among Adults - 50th
While there are still some states that scored worse overall, forty-third is still definitely in the bottom ten percent. According to the World Health Organization, vaccine resistance is one of the top global health challenges, so it is not just a Wyoming problem or even in a United States issue.
One thing that can hopefully getting things moving in the right direction is more public education on their benefits of vaccines and how they actually work. Although in the social media age we live in now, maybe even that wouldn't be enough.