US vaccination rates fall again as exemptions continue to rise, CDC data shows
US kindergarten vaccination rates declined again in 2025-2026, with MMR at 92.4% and DTaP at 92.0%, both below the 95% herd immunity threshold Nonmedical exemptions surged to 4% of kindergarteners (up from 3.2%), with 24 states now at or above the 5% exemption threshold that prevents achieving herd immunity Only 10 states maintain MMR vaccination rates at or above 95%, down from the ~95% coverage achieved in 2019-2020 before the pandemic Measles cases reached a 34-year high as the US approaches
Analysis
TL;DR
- US kindergarten vaccination rates declined again in 2025-2026, with MMR at 92.4% and DTaP at 92.0%, both below the 95% herd immunity threshold
- Nonmedical exemptions surged to 4% of kindergarteners (up from 3.2%), with 24 states now at or above the 5% exemption threshold that prevents achieving herd immunity
- Only 10 states maintain MMR vaccination rates at or above 95%, down from the ~95% coverage achieved in 2019-2020 before the pandemic
- Measles cases reached a 34-year high as the US approaches losing its elimination status, while political leadership continues to promote anti-vaccine policies
Why It Matters
This represents a critical public health regression that could lead to resurgent vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks across US communities. The combination of declining vaccination rates, rising exemptions, and political interference in CDC science publication undermines herd immunity protections established over decades.
Technical Details
- MMR vaccination rate: 92.4% (down from 92.5%), DTaP: 92.0% (down from 92.1%), both below the 95% threshold for herd immunity
- Nonmedical exemptions: 4% of kindergarteners (up from 3.2%), medical exemptions steady at 0.2%
- States with MMR ≥95%: Only 10 (West Virginia, Connecticut, Maine, New York, Mississippi, Rhode Island, Maryland, Massachusetts, California, New Mexico)
- States with exemption rates ≥5%: 24 (up from 14 in 2023-2024), making herd immunity unachievable in those locations
- CDC published data only online without full MMWR analysis under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Industry Insight
Public health organizations should prioritize targeted vaccination clinics in high-exemption areas to address barriers to care. Researchers and advocates must monitor the correlation between political messaging and vaccination uptake, as anti-vaccine rhetoric directly impacts community immunity thresholds. The erosion of CDC scientific publication norms threatens evidence-based policy making during a period of rising disease incidence.
Disclaimer: The above content is generated by AI and is for reference only.