Patches of low vaccination in the US are becoming bigger, riskier holes
CNN • • general
Key Points:
- Vaccine exemption rates for school-required immunizations have increased in over half of US counties since the Covid-19 pandemic, driven primarily by nonmedical reasons such as religious or personal beliefs, while medical exemptions have remained stable.
- The median rate of nonmedical exemptions rose from 0.6% in 2010-2011 to over 3% in 2023-2024, with some counties experiencing increases of 5% or more, raising concerns about vulnerability to preventable diseases like measles.
- A significant measles outbreak in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, where nearly 8% of children have nonmedical exemptions, has doubled recently, with over 400 cases reported and exposures linked to schools, churches, and public venues
