CDC data show record rise in vaccine exemptions among kindergartners as MMR coverage slips
TL;DR
CDC data for the 2025–2026 school year show kindergarten vaccination rates fell again while nonmedical exemptions rose to a record 4% nationwide; 42 of 46 states with data saw higher exemptions, and 23 states had 5% or more. The MMR vaccination rate dropped to 92.4%, leaving about 280,000 kindergartners unvaccinated, and measles cases in July surpassed 2025 totals for the worst year since 1991, underscoring gaps in herd immunity.
- Vaccination exemption rates for US kindergartners reach record high WLWT
- Utah's vaccine exemptions spiked amid measles outbreak Axios
- Record share of kindergartners missed required vaccines last year as Trump executive order takes aim at state mandates CNN
- More U.S. Parents Opting Children Out of Vaccine Requirements, C.D.C. Reports The New York Times
- Former CDC advisor says decline in kindergarten vaccinations nothing to worry about: 'Keep calm and carry on' Fox News
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