US vaccination rates fall again as exemptions continue to rise, CDC data shows

Key Points:

• The CDC reported a decline in US kindergarten vaccination rates for the 2025–2026 school year, with MMR coverage dropping to 92.4 percent and DTaP coverage falling to 92.0 percent, both below the 95 percent threshold needed to prevent outbreaks.
• Over half of states experienced decreases in vaccination coverage, and only 10 states maintained MMR rates at or above 95 percent, including West Virginia, Connecticut, and California.
• Nonmedical vaccine exemptions among kindergartners rose sharply to 4 percent, up from 3.2 percent the previous year, while medical exemptions remained steady at 0.2 percent; 24 states now have exemption rates at or above 5 percent, hindering efforts to reach herd immunity.
• The CDC has released vaccination data without detailed analysis or formal publication under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., coinciding with rising vaccine-preventable disease cases and controversial efforts by Kennedy and former President Trump to reduce vaccine recommendations.
• Despite these challenges, the CDC continues to encourage parents to consult healthcare providers about vaccination, amid concerns over misinformation and the potential loss of the US measles elimination status.