Just 29% of the population is fully vaccinated. That's more than 10% below the national average.
Ken Weber just got his second dose of the Moderna vaccine. After having COVID himself just six months ago, it was a no-brainer.
But in his home state of Wyoming, Weber’s story is unique. He says his coworkers are not getting vaccinated. His friends are skeptical. Here, just 29% of the population is fully vaccinated, more than 10 percent lower than the national average. Most people in Wyoming haven’t received a single shot. The CDC says nearly a quarter of the people in the state are unsure about getting it. All that makes Wyoming the most vaccine-hesitant state in the nation.
Dr. Kristopher Schamber, the incoming vice president of the Wyoming Medical Society, has heard every question in the book about these shots. He says political leanings and misinformation have skewed his patients' perspectives about this virus.
But in a state that is incredibly rural, where cases and deaths have been relatively low, many people are hanging their hat on the freedom not to get the shot. The reality is, life didn't stop for most people in this state the way it did in others. For people here in Wyoming the vaccine just isn't as important for getting back to "normal."