Kindergarten vaccine exemptions jump to another record high
Kindergarten vaccine exemptions reached another all-time high nationwide as the CDC released new data.
The brief
A record share of US kindergartners missed required vaccines during the 2025-2026 school year, according to reports from the CDC published across multiple outlets including The New York Times, Axios, The Hill, Bloomberg, ABC News, NBC News, and The Washington Post. CNN coverage notes that the increase coincides with a Trump executive order taking aim at state mandates, while other reporting focuses broadly on parents increasingly opting children out for personal or religious reasons, alongside MMR vaccine coverage remaining below the ideal rate needed to prevent outbreaks.
While multiple outlets attribute the trend to the CDC data release, reporting diverges on the specific weight given to the newly issued executive order versus broader personal and religious opt-out trends. Coverage does not yet specify the full regional distribution of these exemptions or the complete policy impacts of the executive order on state-level mandates.
Synthesized by Newsylist from the headlines below under a strict no-invention contract. ✓ fact-checked: all claims supported by sources Updated 1h ago.
Coverage (11)
- US kindergarten vaccine coverage continues downward trend, falling 0.1% Reuters · 1h ago
- U.S. school vaccination rates inch down again as exemptions reach record high PBS · 2h ago
- Record share of kindergartners missed required vaccines last year as Trump executive order takes aim at state mandates CNN · 2h ago
- More U.S. Parents Opting Children Out of Vaccine Requirements, C.D.C. Reports The New York Times · 2h ago
- Kindergarten vaccine exemptions rose in 2025-2026: CDC Axios · 4h ago
- Kindergarten vaccine exemptions hit all time high The Hill · 4h ago
- US Kindergarten Vaccine Rates Drop Again for 2025-26 School Year Bloomberg.com · 5h ago
- Vaccine exemption rate for kindergarteners reaches record high: CDC abcnews.com · 5h ago
- Kindergarten MMR vaccine coverage still below ideal rate to prevent outbreaks: CDC The Hill · 5h ago
- CDC finds childhood vaccine exemptions for personal or religious reasons hit new record NBC News · 5h ago
- Kindergarten vaccine exemptions jump to another record high The Washington Post · 5h ago broke it first
Quick answers
What do the latest CDC figures show?
Kindergarten vaccine exemptions hit a new record high, and MMR vaccine coverage remains below the ideal rate to prevent outbreaks.
Why are exemption rates rising?
Reports point to more parents opting children out for personal or religious reasons, alongside an executive order taking aim at state mandates.
Which outlets are covering the CDC data?
Outlets including CNN, The New York Times, Axios, The Hill, Bloomberg, ABC News, NBC News, and The Washington Post have reported on the trend.
The coverage curve
How fast coverage is spreading — measured hourly from article rate × source diversity. How this works →
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