U.S. kindergarten vaccination exemptions rise to record high, CDC data shows

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that over 155,000 children starting kindergarten in the United States received exemptions from routine vaccinations last year, the largest increase in a decade. The share of exempt students exceeded 4%, according to health correspondent Rob Stein.

The data also show a gradual decline in coverage for vaccines recommended for kindergarten, including measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio. More than 280,000 children began school without protection against measles, mumps and rubella, officials said.

Pediatric infectious disease specialist Dr. Paul Offit described the trend as “disappointing” and warned that it contributes to rising cases of vaccine-preventable diseases, noting recent increases in measles and whooping cough incidents.

Infectious disease doctor Jake Scott said trust in vaccines has eroded since the COVID-19 pandemic and that some states have made exemption procedures easier, creating conditions that could foster outbreaks.

The report comes amid political debate over vaccine policy. President Trump recently signed an executive order encouraging fewer vaccinations for children and directed the Justice Department to pressure states to relax exemption requirements. The CDC’s new director, Dr. Erica Schwartz, has not publicly addressed the issue, and the agency released the data with a brief email rather than a detailed statement.