As Another COVID-19 Surge Dawns, States with Low Vaccination Rates Seem Most at Risk

While the national rates of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths remain well below the levels we experienced at the height of the pandemic, data tracked by The New York Times indicate that the coming weeks could bring an uptick in new cases nationally. The latest report shows that several states are already seeing an upswing in confirmed cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. Cases in Idaho soared 106% over the past 2 weeks, though deaths were down slightly over that period. Nebraska saw a 45% increase in cases while the COVID-related death rate was flat. In Arkansas, however, the 40% increase in cases over the past 2 weeks was matched by a 40% increase in related deaths. While there are no data establishing cause-and-effect directly, it should be noted that the same states mentioned above are also among those with the lowest rate of fully vaccinated residents. In Idaho, 56% of residents have received the full vaccination series, with only 24% also being fully boosted. Sixty-five percent of Nebraskans took the full vaccination schedule, with 35% being fully boosted. And Arkansas has fully vaccinated 56% of residents, with just 24% getting recommended boosters.