Former CDC advisor downplays slight drop in kindergarten vaccination rates
A former CDC immunization adviser said the 0.1% decline in kindergarten vaccine coverage for the 2025-2026 school year is not a cause for concern, noting overall compliance remains high.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a 0.1% year-over-year decline in vaccination coverage among children entering kindergarten for the 2025-2026 school year, alongside a modest rise in exemption requests. Former vice chair of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, Dr. Robert Malone, told Fox News Digital that the change is minimal and does not signal a major public-health issue.
"The latest CDC data indicates a 0.1% year-in-year decline in the uptake or acceptance of the vaccine schedule among kindergartners. In certain contexts, the average across the United States shows roughly a 1% shift. Regardless, we are still talking about a very low single-digit lack of compliance with the CDC's recommended vaccine schedule," Malone said.
He added that the overall compliance rate remains high and that the data should not be portrayed as evidence of a growing anti-vaccine sentiment.
"Even by the CDC's own report, we still maintain a very high rate of compliance among kindergartners," Malone said.
Malone criticized media coverage that linked the modest decline to broader vaccine hesitancy, citing CNBC's reporting on a global measles outbreak. He emphasized that measles cases are rising worldwide and that vaccination continues to be the most effective protection.
"Vaccination remains the most effective protection against infection. However, does this new kindergarten data represent a major threat? Absolutely not," he stated.
While acknowledging a small increase in skepticism toward childhood vaccines, Malone concluded that the overall vaccination program remains robust.
"The takeaway is simple: keep calm and carry on. There is nothing in this data to panic about," he said.