US kindergarten vaccination rates decline again amid rising exemptions

U.S. Kindergarten Vaccination Rates Decline Again Amid Rising Exemptions Vaccination coverage among kindergarteners across the United States has decreased once more, heightening concerns about potential disease outbreaks. According to the CDC's latest data for the 2024-2025 academic year, the rates for measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and DTaP fell slightly from the previous year, now standing at 92.5% and 92.1%, respectively. Despite steady medical exemptions at 0.2%, non-medical exemptions increased from 3.1% to 3.4%, with 17 states reporting exemption rates exceeding 5%, up from 14. The overall exemption rate reached a record 3.6%. Notably, 20 states reported MMR coverage below 91%, and 27 states fell below the national average of 92.5%. Experts warn that these declining vaccination rates, coupled with growing vaccine hesitancy influenced by social and political factors, pose a significant threat, especially as measles outbreaks continue to emerge nationwide. Since the start of 2025, 1,333 measles cases have been confirmed across 39 states, with the largest outbreak originating in Gaines County, Texas. This outbreak, linked to low vaccination levels—where nearly half of st...