Childhood Vaccination Rates Fall as School Exemptions Hit Record

The number of kindergarteners in the US starting school without being fully vaccinated continues to rise, as families are increasingly getting exemptions to what was once a rite of passage for students.

The US Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention reported Thursday that the number children who were fully up-to-date on their immunizations when they started elementary school in 2024 fell from the prior year. The shortfall included protection against potentially deadly infections like polio and measles.

Exemptions that allow kids to attend without being fully vaccinated rose to record levels, with 3.6% of children across the country getting ...