Former CDC advisor says decline in kindergarten vaccinations nothing to worry about: 'Keep calm and carry on' - Yahoo
Dr. Robert Malone, a former CDC advisor, downplayed a 0.1% decline in kindergarten vaccination rates for the 2025-2026 school year. He argued that the data does not indicate a significant trend of parental disaffection with vaccines.
Why it matters
Public health data regarding vaccination rates is a sensitive topic, and differing interpretations of this data influence public discourse on healthcare policy.
Recent data published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates fell slightly in the 2025-2026 school year. Former vice chair of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Dr. Robert Malone told Fox News Digital the drop is nothing to be concerned about. The CDC on Monday released vaccination data for the 2025-2026 school year showing a 0.1% decline in vaccination coverage among children entering kindergarten and an increase in parents claiming vaccine exemptions for their children. Malone, however, downplayed the significance of the decline. "The latest CDC data indicates a 0.1% year-in-year decline in the uptake or acceptance of the vaccine schedule among kindergartners. In certain contexts, the average across the United States shows roughly a 1% shift.
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