Map Shows Vaccine Rates Among Kindergarteners Compared to Outbreak Hotspots
An expert told Newsweek the fall in vaccine rates are a "huge backward step."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that measles vaccination rates among U.S. kindergarteners decreased during the 2025-26 school year, dropping to 92.4 percent. This marks a new record for exemptions at 4.2 percent, up from 3.6 percent the previous year. The CDC estimates that about 155,000 kindergarteners were exempt from one or more vaccines, while 280,000 were in school without proof of receiving the recommended MMR vaccine series.
Measles cases in the United States have already surpassed the total recorded in 2025, with 2,566 cases reported this year. Nearly half of these cases are among children and teenagers aged 5 to 19, with only 3 percent involving those who have received the recommended two doses of the MMR vaccine. The overwhelming majority of infections occurred among unvaccinated individuals or those with unknown vaccination status.
Professor Helen Bedford, an expert in childhood immunization at University College London, emphasized the concern over the decline in MMR uptake, stating that measles is a highly infectious disease that requires high vaccine coverage to prevent outbreaks. She noted that any fall in vaccine uptake is a cause for concern, particularly in controlling measles disease.
The decline in vaccination coverage comes amid a broader debate over childhood vaccinations in the United States. The Trump administration recently announced plans to review the federal childhood immunization schedule, including the MMR vaccine, which has been safely used since 1971 and provides protective antibodies in over 99 percent of people who receive two doses after their first birthday, according to public health expert Patsy Stinchfield.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent vaccine skeptic, urged the public to take up the MMR vaccine, stating that it is effective in preventing measles in about 97 percent of cases. Despite this, the decline in vaccination coverage leaves more communities vulnerable to outbreaks, particularly for diseases like measles that can spread rapidly in areas with lower vaccine uptake. Experts agree that an overall uptake of 95 percent is necessary to achieve herd immunity for measles.
Written by urgent.news from Newsweek's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
