November 10, 2023 – According to the CDC, 3% of youngsters entering kindergarten within the 2022-2023 school yr received an exemption from considered one of the 4 core vaccinations – the very best exemption rate ever reported within the United States.
Of the three% of youngsters who received exemptions, 0.2% were for medical reasons and a pair of.8% were for non-medical reasons. says the CDC report. The total exemption rate for the previous school yr was 2.6%.
Although more children received exemptions, the statewide vaccination rate for kids entering kindergarten within the 2022-2023 school yr remained stable at 93%. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the general rate was 95%, in line with the CDC.
“The bad news is that it has been declining since the pandemic and still hasn't recovered,” said Sean O'Leary, MD, a pediatric infectious disease specialist on the University of Colorado The Associated Press. “The good news is that the vast majority of parents are still vaccinating their children according to the recommended schedule.”
The CDC report didn't provide a selected reason for increased exemptions for vaccines. However, it noted that the rise could possibly be brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and reluctance to vaccinate against COVID-19.
“Distrust of the health system is growing,” said Dr. Amna Husain, a North Carolina-based pediatrician and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics NBC News. The exemptions for vaccines “have unfortunately experienced an upward trend”.
The exemption rates varied across the country. The CDC said 40 states reported a rise in exemptions and that the exemption rate rose above 5% in 10 states: Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Michigan, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah and Wisconsin. Idaho had the very best exemption rate in 2022 at 12%.
While requirements vary from state to state, most states require students entering kindergarten to receive 4 vaccinations: measles, mumps and rubella (MMR); diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis (DTaP); Polio; and chickenpox.