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CDC: U.S. kindergarten vaccine exemptions hit record high as coverage falls nationwide
KABB • • health
Key Points:
- Vaccine exemptions among U.S. kindergarteners rose to a record 4.2% in the 2025-2026 school year, up from 3.6% the previous year, affecting about 155,000 children nationwide.
- Exemption rates increased in 41 states and Washington, D.C., indicating a widespread rise in vaccine exemptions.
- Vaccination coverage declined for all tracked childhood vaccines, with national rates ranging from 92.0% for DTaP to 92.4% for MMR and polio, and more than half of states showing decreases in coverage for key vaccines.
- Approximately 280,000 kindergarteners attended school without documented completion of the MMR vaccine series, highlighting gaps beyond formal exemptions.
- Nearly half of states now have exemption rates above 5%, a threshold associated with higher risks of outbreaks, emphasizing concerns over declining herd immunity and increased vulnerability to vaccine-preventable diseases.
