Nevada ranks 50th nationally in flu vaccinations

RENO — Nevada ranks last in the nation for flu vaccination rates, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The study for the 2013-14 flu season that has Nevada 50th on the list, behind Florida and Wyoming, the Reno Gazette-Journal reported.

South Dakota placed first nationwide for flu vaccination, followed by Rhode Island.

The CDC said the national vaccination rate improved to its highest level since 2010, with 46.2 percent of the population being immunized.

The rate among Nevadans 6 months and older was 46.2 percent compared to South Dakota’s nation-leading 57.4 percent.

The numbers got worse when focused on just adults. Nevada’s flu vaccination rate for adults age 18 and older was 32.3 percent. That’s nearly 10 percentage points below the national average.