COVID-19 vaccination at Glangwili General Hospital in Carmarthen

As the COVID pandemic continues to linger on, some states across the country still present a high risk for the virus, according to a new study from WalletHub.

The study, which looked at five key metrics – transmission of the virus, positive test rates, hospitalizations, deaths, and vaccinations – showed that these factors may indicate if a state is unsafe to live in during the pandemic.

While many states scored poorly when it came to these metrics, there were high marks for others. Vermont is considered the safest state in the U.S. as it ranks on top in several categories, including having a low positive COVID testing rate, dropping hospitalizations, and small community transmission of the virus. It also was in one of the top spots for having a high vaccination rate among its residents.

Trailing Vermont on the list are North Carolina, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Connecticut, which also ranked as top safest states in the country for COVID-19 in the study.

North Carolina earned its top spot based on having a high vaccination rate and a low death rate from COVID, while Rhode Island ranked high in low positive testing rates, and New Hampshire did well with a low number of hospitalizations.

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But what is more concerning is the number of states that are unsafe during the pandemic, even as cases of the virus are no longer near the record levels they were at the height of the outbreak.

Deemed the most unsafe state in the country for COVID is Louisiana, followed closely by West Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, and Kentucky, the study indicated.

With a high death rate and one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country, Louisiana is a state of concern with a high risk for COVID. West Virginia also has a high death rate from the virus, as well as a high rate of people hospitalized for COVID, coupled with a low vaccination rate of its residents.

Tennessee, Georgia, and Kentucky also scored low marks in the study. Tennessee has a low vaccination rate and a high number of positive COVID tests being returned. Kentucky has a rising number of hospitalizations from the virus, while Georgia has a high death rate from COVID-19 and a low vaccination rate.