US vaccination rates fall again as exemptions continue to rise, CDC data shows
CDC data for the 2025-2026 school year shows a continued decline in US childhood vaccination rates, falling further below the 95 percent threshold required for community immunity. Simultaneously, the number of children receiving exemptions from school vaccine requirements has increased significantly.
Why it matters
Falling vaccination rates increase the risk of outbreaks for preventable diseases, signaling a potential public health challenge for the US.
Still falling US vaccination rates fall again as exemptions continue to rise, CDC data shows Again, the CDC did not publish a full report and instead simply put the data online.
52 US President Donald Trump during an executive order signing in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026. Credit: Getty | Bonnie Cash US President Donald Trump during an executive order signing in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026. Credit: Getty | Bonnie Cash Text settings Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only Learn more Minimize to nav The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday released data on the vaccination rates of US kindergarteners in the 2025–2026 school year, revealing that rates have once again decreased from the previous school year.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in