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States with best, worst vaccination coverage for kindergarten students

It's August, which means soon-to-be kindergarteners are getting vaccines before entering school. Here's a look at which states do the best job getting children vaccinated, according to data released this month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The federal government has a goal of getting 95 percent of kindergarten students vaccinated with two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine; four doses of diphtheria, tetanus toxoid, and acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccine; and two doses of the varicella (chickenpox) vaccine.

The percentages reflect the percent of kindergarten students who have been vaccinated.

MMR

Best
1. Mississippi, 99.9 percent
2. Maryland, 98.2 percent
3. South Dakota, 97.9 percent
4. Texas, 97.5 percent
4. Wyoming, 97.5 percent
9. New Jersey, 97 percent 

Worst
1. Colorado, 85.7 percent
2. Arkansas, 85.9 percent
3. Pennsylvania, 87 percent
4. Idaho, 89 percent
5. North Dakota, 89.9 percent

DTaP

Best
1. Mississippi, 99.9 percent
2. Maryland, 99.4 percent
3. Virginia, 98.5 percent
4. New York, 98.4 percent
5. Louisiana, 98.3 percent
13. New Jersey, 97 percent

Worst
1. Arkansas, 82.9 percent
1. Colorado, 82.9 percent
3. Idaho, 88.3 percent
4. Kansas, 88.9 percent
5. North Dakota
9. Pennsylvania, 90.7 percent 

Varicella (states vary in the number of doses required)

Best
1. Mississippi, 99.9 percent, 2 doses
2. Maryland, 99.6 percent, 1 dose
3. Utah, 99.6 percent, 1 dose
4. Hawaii, 99.3 percent, 1 dose
5. New York, 98.4 percent, 1 dose
8. New Jersey, 97 percent, 2 doses 

Worst
1. Colorado, 84.6 percent, 2 doses
2. Arkansas, 84.8 percent, 2 doses
3. Pennsylvania, 85.7 percent, 2 doses
4. Idaho, 86.6 percent, 2 doses
5. Kansas, 88.4 percent, 2 doses