Required vaccination rates for U.S. kindergarteners drop again, new CDC data shows

CNN
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A record percentage of U.S. kindergartners were exempted from required immunizations last school year, with more than 125,000 new schoolchildren missing out on at least one state-mandated vaccine, according to a new report. It remains as it is. data The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Wednesday. And measles vaccination rates among kindergartners have fallen again, meaning coverage remains well below federal targets for the fourth year in a row.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services goal At least 95% of kindergarteners will have received two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, a standard needed to prevent outbreaks of highly contagious diseases.

However, after holding steady for a decade, coverage declined during the coronavirus pandemic and has yet to recover. Measles vaccination rates declined again last year, reaching 92.7% for kindergarteners in the 2023-24 school year, according to CDC data.

Vaccination rates for other state-mandated vaccinations, including diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, known as DTaP, and polio, also declined.

“Public health officials are concerned about declining vaccination rates among kindergarteners. Pediatric vaccines are safe and effective and have made a significant difference in reducing suffering and death from infectious diseases that were once considered terrifying. ,” Dr. Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, said in a statement.

In recent years, the rate of childhood vaccine exemptions has increased as vaccination coverage has declined. Last school year, vaccine exemptions reached the highest level ever reported in the United States. Approximately 3.3% of kindergartners had one or more required vaccine exemptions, with the majority having non-medical exemptions, according to CDC data.

Lori Tremmell Freeman, chief executive officer of the National Association of County and City Health Officials, said local health officials are concerned about declining vaccination rates among kindergartners in the United States and its impact on public health risks. He said he was concerned.

“The broader story is that vaccination rates declined in 35 states, and 14 of those 35 states had a decline of at least 1 percentage point. That means about 280,000 students are fully vaccinated. They will not have proof of proper vaccination,” Freeman said.

“But the more we consider communities and neighborhoods, the more the risk may change, because we find that there are more communities that are vaccine hesitant,” she says. “You often see the same people gathering together in these communities, and because they all have similar beliefs, the disease can spread quickly.”

Areas where vaccination coverage is slow can create the perfect environment for the disease to spread. Freeman said some local health departments are already seeing outbreaks in some areas with low vaccination rates.

There was Measles outbreak in Chicago this year,at least 57 items It was connected to an immigrant shelter. And then there was the outbreak primary school In Broward County, Florida, he led lawmakers in calling for a public health emergency.

More than 20 states reported measles infections in early 2024. By March, there were more reported cases that year than in all of 2023, according to the CDC. data.

The CDC says that the rapid increase in the number of infected people nationwide (significantly higher than in recent years) New threats to the country's disease elimination status.

New data from the CDC shows that measles vaccination rates for kindergarteners vary widely by state, but only about 12 states have met the federal government's 95% measles vaccination rate for kindergarteners.

“While it is encouraging that more than 9 out of 10 children are receiving recommended vaccines, seemingly small declines (for example, from 93.1% to 92.7% MMR vaccination coverage) can have significant negative effects. Yes,” Amy Pisani said. said the CEO of the nonprofit advocacy group Vaccinate Your Family in a statement. “These data points are important because every time coverage declines, all children are at increased risk of developing serious infectious diseases that were once a thing of the past.”

Measles is a highly contagious airborne disease. may cause serious health damage or death, especially for young people and unvaccinated children.

Common symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, watery eyes, and a rash with red spots. According to the CDC, about 1 in 5 unvaccinated people who get measles in the United States will be hospitalized. About 1 in 20 children will develop pneumonia, and some will develop a dangerous swelling of the brain called encephalitis. Up to three out of every 1,000 children infected with measles can die from respiratory and neurological complications.