COVID Vaccinations Are Highest in These Five States

As the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues across the U.S., a handful of states in the northwest and northeast are among those that have administered the most vaccinations in the country.

Here we look at five states where the number of residents per 100,000 people who received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine are highest in the country, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

All vaccine data below presents the latest numbers reported as of Monday 9 a.m. local time, according to the CDC. The figures for doses distributed and people who received their first dose include totals for both the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines.

Doses distributed reflect the number recorded as shipped in the CDC's Vaccine Tracking System (VTrckS) since December 13, 2020.

The count of people initiating vaccination represents total doses administered "as reported to the CDC by state, territorial, and local public health agencies and four federal entities (Bureau of Prisons, Department of Defense, Indian Health Service, and Veterans Health Administration) since December 14, 2020," the CDC advises.

All state population data below is from the U.S. Census Bureau.

States where COVID vaccinations are highest

South Dakota

• Number of people per 100,000 who received first vaccine dose: 3,042
• Total who have received first vaccine dose: 26,913
• Total vaccine doses distributed in the state: 43,325
• Total population: 884,659

The seven-day average of cases in South Dakota has been declining since early November, when it hit a record high of 1,458 on November 11, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University (JHU).

West Virginia

• Number of people per 100,000 who received first vaccine dose: 2,930
• Total who have received first vaccine dose: 52,518
• Total vaccine doses distributed in the state: 124,325
• Total population: 1,792,147

The average case count in West Virginia has been climbing on a sharp incline from early October, after remaining flat from late March. The figure hit a record high of 1,638 on Monday, according to JHU.

North Dakota

• Number of people per 100,000 who received first vaccine dose: 2,918
• Total who have received first vaccine dose: 2,240
• Total vaccine doses distributed in the state: 37,900
• Total population: 762,062

The average case count in North Dakota has been decreasing since mid-November, when it peaked at 1,408 on November 15, according to JHU.

Alaska

• Number of people per 100,000 who received first vaccine dose: 2,589
• Total who have received first vaccine dose: 18,937
• Total vaccine doses distributed in the state: 74,925
• Total population: 731,545

The average case count in Alaska rose sharply from early October, peaking at 714 on December 5, and declined after then, according to JHU.

Vermont

• Number of people per 100,000 who received first vaccine dose: 2,557
• Total who have received first vaccine dose: 15,955
• Total vaccine doses distributed in the state: 33,925
• Total population: 623,989

The average case tally in Vermont has been rising sharply since early November, reaching a record high of 134 on December 5, after flattening out for months since late March, according to JHU.

Vaccination reporting delays

The CDC notes: "A large difference between the number of doses distributed and the number of people initiating vaccination is expected at this point in the COVID vaccination program due to several factors, including delays in reporting of administered doses and management of available vaccine stocks by jurisdictions and federal pharmacy partners.

"Healthcare providers report doses to federal, state, territorial, and local agencies up to 72 hours after administration. There may be additional lag for data to be transmitted from the federal, state, territorial, or local agency to CDC," the government health body explains.

The wider picture

The novel coronavirus has infected more than 85.8 million people, including just over 20.8 million in the U.S., since it was first reported in Wuhan, China.

More than 1.8 million people have died worldwide and more than 48.3 million have recovered as of Tuesday, according to JHU.

The graphic below, produced by Statista, shows the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S.

The graphic below, provided by Statista, shows the percentage of adult Americans who would or would not get a COVID-19 vaccine.