US Kindergarten Vaccination Coverage Hits Historic Low Ahead of Measles Surge Increase

A record share of US kindergartners had an exemption for a required vaccination last school year, and coverage for all reported vaccines including the measles vaccine was lower than the previous year. This comes ahead of a surge in measles cases, with many experts attributing the decline in vaccination rates to anti-vaxxer sentiment. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that over 4% of kindergartners had an exemption for a required vaccination. This represents a significant increase from previous years.