65% of American’s have had at least one dose of the vaccine.
55% are fully vaccinated.
75% of adults have had one dose.
America has had more success getting people vaccinated than a lot of people would make it seem, but the problem seems to be region.
The top five most fully vaccinated states currently.
The top five least vaccinated states.
Even looking at the states getting vaccinated at lower rates, still some pretty good news. The bottom five are all over 50% vaccinated for dose one and at growth rates, they are all expected to hit two thirds majority by the end of the this year. The top five are also at a point, they’ll all see over 85% before the year ends.
Figuring out how to grow vaccination numbers in the lower vaccinated states though, it’s still been a pretty big question.
Comparing the top five and bottom five, some similarities and differences.
Similarities
Differences
I looked at all 50 states on a list from most vaccinated to least vaccinated and noticed a trend where vaccinated versus unvaccinated mirrored things such as income, education, incarceration and voter identity.
This made me really think the idea the gap was as simple as just partisan ideas, until I began looking at the states themselves a little closer.
Right now, Mississippi which is number five for least vaccinated has had the most COVID deaths per capita in the entire country, at 317 per 100,000 people. Vermont, which is the least vaccinated state is currently 50 per 100,000.
But, I looked at the two biggest cities in both states.
Burlington in Vermont, which is 45,000 people and about 75% vaccinated.
Jackson in Mississippi, which is 150,000 people and running a higher rate over the states average, breaking 50% and projected to hit 60-65% in the next six weeks.
It’s not as high as it should be, but rural Mississippi still has parts in the low 30s, so it’s a step up.
Also, found in Vermont, some towns do exist where numbers are still in the 50s and low 50s.
And going through the list, I found it amusing Florida was actually surpassing Illinois in vaccination rates.
Reason that I believe.
Florida has had 54,000 COVID deaths and over 8,000 are in Miami, but Miami county itself is under 10% of Florida’s population, despite being closer to 15% of COVID deaths.
Miami is currently 72% vaccinated.
Looking at Illinois next.
Florida also has a lot of its population living in cities and areas relying heavily on the tourist economy, such as Tampa, Boca and Orlando, which are all reasonably high vaccination rates.
Illinois in comparison has had 11,000 COVID deaths be in Chicago, which make up almost half of its 27,000.
Illinois holds over 75% full vaccination, but the rest of the state is lacking and some parts are seeing Mississippi type numbers.
It’s important to know that Illinois is actually more rural over Florida, with only really one major city, versus Florida having most people be either in cities or the counties they are in.
What does this all mean?
Lets make it clear.
Not getting vaccinated is a political issue, economic issue and education issue.
But, it’s also something which can be simpler explained and that’s regional.
Places more densely populated have had more issues and suffer, such as NYC, LA, Miami and many more.
Places across the country in more rural locations have always been at less risk and even in places such as Mississippi, with exceptionally high COVID death rates, they already have other health issues and the rural parts aren’t as bad.
Obviously people should get vaccinated and it’s really stupid not to, but I don’t love the approach of just calling out people for lower vaccination numbers based on education or income. It seems like it just makes people angrier and it’s not understanding some parts of the US haven’t seen it as head on.
