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Although Louisiana recently opened up the coronavirus vaccine to all residents 16 and older, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still shows the state is falling behind in the number of people it vaccinates.
Currently, Louisiana ranks 38th in the country in the percentage of its total population that is fully vaccinated, based on CDC data.
About 16% of the state’s population is fully vaccinated, and about 26% of the population has received at least one dose of the vaccine. Pfizer and Moderna’s coronavirus vaccines require two injections, while Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine requires only one.
New Mexico leads the country in terms of vaccination rates, with 23.5% of its population fully vaccinated. Utah is ranked last in percentage of its population vaccinated, with about 11% fully vaccinated.
Overall, Louisiana’s vaccination rates may be lower, but its vaccination rates for people 65 and older paint a more optimistic picture. Louisiana ranks 15th in percentage of its population 65 and over that are fully vaccinated. About 57% of residents 65 years of age and older have been fully immunized and about 70% have received at least one dose.
Louisiana administered about 72% of the 2.7 million doses of vaccine it received from the federal government, lagging behind other parts of the country but still ahead of other southern states including Mississippi and Alabama.
Louisiana expects to receive an additional 300,000 doses next week, almost double the usual amount of weekly doses it sees.
Editor-in-chief Blake Paterson contributed to this story.
EMAIL JULIA GUILBEAU AT JGUILBEAU@ THEADVOCATE.COM OR FOLLOW HER ON TWITTER, @JULIAGUILBEAU.
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