Rise in Vaccine Exemptions Among Kindergarten Students
The number of American kindergarten students exempted from receiving the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine has significantly increased during the 2025-26 school year. New federal data released on Monday shows that exemptions rose to 4.2 percent from 3.6 percent the previous year.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), overall vaccination rates for key vaccines, such as MMR, DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis), poliovirus, and varicella, have slightly decreased. Currently, 92.4 percent of students have received the MMR vaccine. This is below the 95 percent threshold considered necessary to prevent large outbreaks, especially as the U.S. experiences its worst measles epidemic in 35 years.
Since the 2019-20 pre-pandemic school year, the U.S. has struggled to maintain a vaccination coverage rate above 94 percent. In that year, the rate stood at 95.2 percent. Various states and the District of Columbia mandate that children receive vaccinations against diseases like measles and rubella to attend public schools. However, exemptions exist for certain religious or philosophical reasons.
The data indicates an increase in non-medical exemptions, spreading across more states. The CDC warns that clusters of undervaccinated children within higher coverage areas may lead to outbreaks. The declining vaccine coverage among children coincides with policy changes by the Trump administration and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., amidst debates over COVID-19 vaccine mandates and public distrust of health authorities.
Last week, the CDC reported over 2,500 measles cases, already surpassing the 2,289 total cases reported for all of 2025. Approximately 93 percent of these cases involved unvaccinated individuals or those with unknown vaccination status.
Amidst this context, former White House COVID-19 czar Dr. Anthony Fauci has declined an interview with Sen. Ron Johnson’s investigations subcommittee, opting to continue asserting his Fifth Amendment rights in response to queries about the government’s pandemic response. Additionally, President Trump’s executive order recommending that the MMR vaccine be split into three separate appointments has faced criticism from the pharmaceutical industry, lacking scientific backing for such a directive.
In further health-related news, cyclospora outbreaks with unidentified sources are on the rise. The FDA reports an increase in cases linked to iceberg lettuce. Since May, nearly 14,000 domestically acquired cyclospora cases have been confirmed in the U.S., according to the CDC.