Missouri’s kindergarten vaccination rates have dropped below the immunity threshold, putting communities at risk of measles outbreaks. According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, only 90% of kindergarten students were immunized against measles, mumps, and rubella last year.
Experts warn that low vaccination rates can lead to outbreaks, as a community needs a rate of at least 95% to be adequately protected. Dr. Laura Morris, a University of Missouri Health Care family medicine physician, stated, “We are sweating” due to the increasing infectious diseases requiring high vaccination rates for herd immunity.
Missouri exceeds the national average of non-medical exemptions, with 5% of kindergarteners having exemptions on file compared to a nationwide rate of 3.4%. The trend is concerning public health experts who attribute it to misinformation and inaccurate information spreading among families.
Health officials are working to increase vaccination rates by making vaccines more accessible and providing proper education. However, the state’s ranking last in per-capita funding of public health, at $7 per person, poses a challenge in sustaining adequate programs.
Source: https://missouriindependent.com/2025/08/26/we-are-sweating-missouri-kindergarten-vaccination-rates-fall-below-immunity-threshold