Vaccination rates among kindergartners decline in over 30 states for 2023-24 school year

Vaccination rates among kindergartners have declined in over 30 states for the 2023-24 school year, according to the CDC. The percentage of children with vaccination exemptions has increased in 40 states, rising from 3% to 3.3% nationally. Approximately 127,000 kindergartners are exempt from one or more vaccines this year. Additionally, around 280,000 kindergartners lack documentation for measles, mumps, and rubella vaccinations. Idaho has the highest exemption rate at 14.3%, up from 12.1% last year. In contrast, nine states report exemption rates below 2%, with California, New York, and West Virginia having the lowest at 0.1%. Medical exemptions have remained stable, while non-medical exemptions have increased significantly since the pandemic.