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SOUTH DAKOTA HAS NATION'S HIGHEST H1N1 VACCINATION RATE
POSTED: APR 06, 2010
PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota vaccinated the highest percentage of adults in the nation during the 2009-2010 H1N1 flu outbreak, according to estimates released today by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. South Dakota vaccinated 34.4% of adults 18 and over, well above any other state, and had some of the highest coverage rates in several other population groups as well.
"I can't say enough about the health systems, hospitals, clinics and community volunteers who worked so hard with us to offer vaccine in so many locations across the state," said Doneen Hollingsworth, Secretary of Health. "There were hundreds of people around the state involved in this effort and these vaccination rates could not have been reached without them. I also want to commend the people of South Dakota for their patience and cooperation in essentially waiting their turn while we worked to vaccinate the highest risk individuals first.”
Hollingsworth said that while H1N1 was an unprecedented immunization effort, South Dakota was in a better position than many states to take it on, thanks to its work on the child flu initiative that began in 2007. The state, the private health care sector and schools worked together on that effort so South Dakota already had a structure in place and considerable experience carrying out large scale immunization clinics.
Across the age groups. South Dakota's rates were among the highest in the nation and topped those of its neighboring states as well. South Dakota's H1N1 vaccination coverage rates and rankings by individual age groups include:
• Persons aged 18 years and older – 34.4%, 1st ;
• Persons aged 25 to 64 years not in the initial target groups – 24.6%, 1st;
• Persons aged 6 months and older – 36.9%, 2nd;
• Persons aged 25 to 64 years at high risk – 37.4%, 4th;
• Persons aged 65 years and older – 34.3%, 5th;
• Persons in the initial target groups – 46.3%, 5th; and
• Children aged 6 months to 17 years – 45.8%, 10th.
The full report is in the latest issue of CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5912.pdf.
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