A record share of incoming kindergarten students in the US were exempt from a required vaccination last school year, with about 3.6% having an exemption, leaving around 138,000 new schoolchildren without full coverage for at least one state-mandated vaccine. This is according to recent data published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The measles vaccine coverage dropped to 92.5%, marking the fifth year in a row that it has been below the federal target of 95%. Most cases this year have been among unvaccinated children.
Experts say that vaccination remains the most effective way to protect children from serious diseases like measles, whooping cough, and other vaccine-preventable illnesses.
Forty-five states allow religious exemptions for vaccine requirements, and fifteen states allow personal or philosophical reasons. However, only five states limit vaccine exemptions to medical reasons, with West Virginia being one of them.
The American Academy of Pediatrics is calling for clear, effective communication from government leaders recommending immunizations as the best way to ensure children’s immune systems are prepared to fight dangerous diseases.
A recent measles outbreak has highlighted the need for vaccination and may turn the trend around. Experts stress that vaccines can sometimes be “victims of their own success,” with people not realizing how much protection they offer until they see the suffering that can happen when they’re not utilized.
As states consider changes to vaccine exemptions, experts emphasize that the science behind vaccines demonstrates that benefits greatly outweigh potential risks.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/31/health/vaccination-school-requirements-cdc