FLORIDA — Florida dropped to the bottom of the list this year in WalletHub's annual ranking States that Vaccinate the Most. As flu season approaches, the report, evaluating 17 different medical metrics, shows that more Floridians are choosing not to take the flu vaccine.
Ranked 51st in adult flu vaccinations, The Sunshine State was down from 50th place in 2021 and 49th place in 2020. Florida's adult flu vaccination rate was half of Rhode Island, which took first place on the list. Medical centers across the state have plenty of shots on hand, but they are not seeing a significant demand this year.
The CDC recommends that anyone 6 months or older get a flu shot yearly. The CDC states that flu vaccines are formulated each year based partly on strains circulating at the beginning of each flu season.
Overall, in all immunization categories, Florida ranked 49th with a score of 32.04. The states with the highest vaccination rates included Massachusetts (83.67), Vermont (80.51), New Hampshire (75.46), Rhode Island (74.87), Maine (73.33), and Connecticut (70.81).
Based on age, Florida ranks 50th overall among adults and the elderly and 47th among children and teenagers. The most recent flu season, from October 3, 2021, through May 21, 2022, was predicted to be serious as states lifted COVID-19 restrictions. But only 3 out of Florida's 67 counties had five or more flu outbreaks throughout the season. Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties had none.
