US kindergarten vaccination rates fall to record low as exemptions rise

Vaccination rates among kindergarten children in the US have fallen to a new low, while the proportion of children receiving exemptions from school vaccination requirements has reached a record high.

New data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows vaccination coverage declined across all major childhood vaccines during the 2025-26 school year.

Coverage for the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine fell to 92.4%, down from 92.5% the previous year and considerably below the 95% level generally considered necessary to maintain herd immunity against measles.

Coverage for the DTaP vaccine, which protects against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough, also fell from 92.1% to 92.0%, with declines also recorded for polio and chickenpox vaccination.

At the same time, the proportion of kindergarten children receiving an exemption from one or more required vaccines increased from 3.6% to a record 4.2%.

Exemption rates increased in 41 states and Washington DC, while 24 states reported rates above 5%. Most exemptions were granted for non-medical reasons, including religious or personal beliefs.

The figures come amid growing concern over the return of vaccine-preventable diseases in the US, particularly measles.

The country is experiencing its highest number of measles cases in more than three decades, with thousands of confirmed infections reported during 2026.

Health experts have warned that falling vaccination rates can leave communities increasingly vulnerable to outbreaks, particularly where coverage falls substantially below national averages.

The latest figures continue a longer-term decline in childhood vaccination coverage since before the COVID-19 pandemic, when national MMR coverage was around 95% or higher.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has warned that the growing number of unvaccinated children represents a genuine public health risk as measles continues to spread.

The CDC data covers vaccination among children entering kindergarten across the US and is used to monitor protection against diseases including measles, mumps, rubella, polio, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and chickenpox.

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