Safest States to Live for COVID: Vermont, Mass., Conn.

Three New England states have been listed as the safest places to live amid the coronavirus pandemic due in part to their high vaccination rates, according to a new national ranking.

WalletHub listed Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut the safest three states to live in, respectively. Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Maine were ranked as sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively.

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The ranking is based on the low COVID-19 positivity, hospitalization and death rates, and the high vaccination rates against the disease.

As of July 7, an estimated 48% of Americans have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

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A new mask from researchers at Brigham and Women's and Massachusetts General hospitals tweaks the surgical mask to make it more effective at preventing the spread of COVID.

"While most states have fully reopened, we’ll only be able to completely get back to life as normal once most of the population is fully vaccinated against coronavirus," WalletHub said.

See the full list here.