Massachusetts Ranks 6th Among Top Safest States During Pandemic

ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS — Massachusetts was recently named the sixth safest state overall during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a study by WalletHub.

WalletHub released updated rankings Thursday for its Safest States During COVID-19 study. The study places Massachusetts behind Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Hawaii — all which have the top five spots.

According to the study, Massachusetts has the third highest vaccination rate in the country, only trailing behind Hawaii and Vermont. The state also has the lowest positive testing rate, second to only Rhode Island. It also has one of the lowest hospitalization rates, taking the No. 4 behind Vermont, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania.

The study found that the least safest states during the pandemic are Louisiana (No. 1), Arkansas (No. 2), Missouri (No. 3), Nevada (No. 4) and Oklahoma (No. 5).

To compile its rankings, WalletHub compared data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia based on five key metrics, which included rates of COVID-19 transmission, positive testing, hospitalizations and death, as well as the share of the eligible population getting vaccinated.

As of Friday, 48.9 percent of the U.S. population has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. Almost 57 percent have received at least one vaccine.

In Massachusetts, vaccinations have slowed down. More than 63 percent of the population is fully vaccinated and 69 percent has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to state data.

As of Thursday, Massachusetts reported 586 new cases of the coronavirus, bringing the state's total to 667,818. The state also reported five new COVID-19 deaths, bringing the total to 17,678. One-hundred fourteen people remain hospitalized for the virus.

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• MA Town-By-Town Coronavirus Stats: Deaths, Hospitalizations Rise