US Kindergarten Vaccination Rates Decline as Exemptions Reach Record High

Federal data reveals a worrying trend in vaccination coverage among kindergartners, with rising exemptions contributing to increased disease outbreaks.

• Vaccination rates for kindergartners have dropped to 92.7%, below the pre-pandemic level of 95% needed to prevent outbreaks.
• Exemptions for vaccines among kindergartners have risen to 3.3%, the highest ever recorded, with most being nonmedical exemptions.
• Decreased vaccination coverage has been linked to increased cases of measles, whooping cough, and other preventable diseases.
• The CDC reports that vaccination rates declined in more than 30 states, with significant drops observed in 14 states.
• Public health officials attribute the decline to online misinformation and political divides over COVID-19 vaccines, impacting routine childhood vaccinations.

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