Missouri is ranked one of the top five least safe states from COVID. Here’s why

A new report conducted by the financial planning site WalletHub shows that Missouri ranks 47th out of 51 U.S. states and Washington, DC on safety from COVID-19. The ranking combines data on vaccination rates, death rates from the virus and other factors like positive testing, virus transmission and hospitalization.

Missouri ranks 39th on vaccinations and 42nd on deaths, meaning it has fewer vaccinations but more deaths per capita than most other states. This combination of factors contributed to its low ranking on statewide safety.

“The more people who decline to get vaccinated, the more risk there is to public health,” said financial analyst Jill Gonzalez in a statement. “The safety level of the country impacts the economy because it is tied to the lifting of restrictions and it determines how confident people are to go out and spend money.”

Here’s where to get a vaccine for free in the Kansas City area.

While the state’s transmission rate is relatively low, ranking 18th out of 51 states and DC, Missouri isn’t doing well on positive tests or hospitalizations, either. The state ranks 34th on positive testing and 37th on hospitalization, meaning it has more of both than most other states.

Check local hospital and ICU capacity on this interactive map.

Kansas ranks slightly above Missouri in terms of overall safety, coming in at 37th out of 51 states and DC. While new COVID-19 cases in the area may be decreasing, local doctors say that hospitals are still overwhelmed with patients.

If you think you may have COVID-19, here’s where to get tested in Kansas City and here’s what to do if you receive a positive test result.

Do you have more questions about COVID-19 data in Kansas City? Ask our service journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com or fill out the form below.