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If you’re in Maine looking for anti-vaxxers, you might have to look pretty hard.
The American Academy of Pediatrics released a map based on a study of vaccination rates in children aged 19 to 35 months. If you were looking for another reason to be proud of Maine, here it is.
Maine has the highest combined rate of child vaccinations, beating the national average for DTaP (diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus), MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) and varicella (chicken pox) vaccinations.
The national averages, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, are:
- 84.6 percent for DPaT
- 91.9 percent for MMR
- 91 percent for varicella
Maine’s percentages are:
- 92 percent for DPaT
- 96 percent for MMR
- 94.5 percent for varicella
Maine also beat the national average in HPV vaccines across both sexes. We edged the national flu shot rate, but were slightly below the national rate for 7-vaccine. (≥4 DTaP doses, ≥3 Polio doses, ≥1 MMR dose, Hib full series, ≥3 HepB doses, ≥1 Varicella dose, and ≥4 PCV doses, according to AAP.)
In 2015, our editorial board explained that disease rates were much higher than the year earlier, saying “Maine needs to strengthen its vaccination laws, Maine’s children can’t afford for lawmakers to continue to drag their feet and reject common-sense legislation that protects the public good.” These improved rates seem to be an upward trend.
For a full breakdown of Maine’s data, visit AAP’s website.
