US childhood vaccination rates have been declining since the pandemic began, with kindergartners being particularly affected. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nationwide vaccination rates against measles, polio, whooping cough, and chickenpox have fallen, despite average rates remaining high.
The decline in vaccination rates is not limited to one state or region; it’s a national trend. However, some areas are experiencing more precipitous drops than others, creating new pockets of students without documented vaccinations. This can lead to outbreaks of once-common childhood diseases like measles and whooping cough, which can be extremely disruptive to communities and life-threatening for children.
The decline in vaccination rates is attributed to various factors, including increased distrust in the public health system during the pandemic, medical, philosophical, or religious exemptions, and lack of documentation. These shifts in exemptions mostly fall along political lines, with states that supported the Trump administration seeing higher exemption rates.
Anti-vaccine sentiment is also a contributing factor, as some individuals spread misinformation about vaccine safety. The incoming Trump administration’s nominee for health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has been accused of spreading false theories about vaccines and their link to autism.
Despite these challenges, many schools are implementing new procedures to improve vaccination rates, such as increased communication with families, more available vaccines on campus, and compliance reports. For example, the St. Paul Public Schools district saw a rise in vaccination rates after introducing strict new procedures in 2021.
The decline in vaccination rates highlights the need for effective strategies to promote immunization and address anti-vaccine sentiment. As epidemiologists warn that vaccination rates below 90% can lead to outbreaks becoming increasingly difficult to contain, it’s essential to find ways to improve vaccination rates and protect vulnerable populations from preventable diseases.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/01/13/upshot/vaccination-rates.html