Get our free mobile app

Just when we thought it was safe to gather in public without masks again, the Delta-variant of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is causing yet another wave of new infections across the nation.  And, once again, Louisiana is right at the epicenter of the issue.

The Study

According to the latest ranking from the personal finance experts at Wallet Hub, the Sportsman's Paradise is the least safe state in the entire country in regards to COVID-19.  This study looked at all 50 states and the District of Columbia (D.C.) to determine who was exceling in the fight against this deadly disease and who was sorely lagging behind.

How Did They Determine the Good from the Bad?

The number crunchers at Wallet Hub based their findings on 5 key metrics: Vaccination rate, positive testing rate, hospitalization rate, death rate, and finally transmission rate.  By assigning a score based on these criteria, they were able to achieve a pretty comprehensive "COVID Report Card" for the entire nation.  Unfortunately, Louisiana got the worst grade in the class.

How Bad Did Louisiana Rank?

Although we didn't bottom out in all of the categories, our overall rank was 51 out of 51.  We did especially poorly in the lowest vaccination rate (we came in 50th, just ahead of Mississippi), and highest death rate (we are at number 49, ahead of Montana and Maine).

How Do We Fix It?

With the latest surge of COVID-19 cases in Louisiana, many are worried about a return to the restrictions we all enjoyed (sarcasm) during the extended 2020-2021 pandemic.  Unfortunately, if we can't get more residents vaccinated and curtail these rapidly rising numbers it may be the reality we all have to face.