# Kindergarteners Skip Vaccines, Exemption Rate Hits Record

- Topic: health
- Source: Video published by ABC News
- Published: 2026-08-18
- Original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_crP-tuGhSQ
- Language: en

## At a glance

- CDC reports kindergarteners' vaccine exemption rate hit 4.2% in 2025‑2026, a record high.
- Exemptions rose from 3.6% last year and nearly double the 2.2% level five years earlier.
- Religious reasons drive most non‑medical exemptions, according to CDC data.
- MMR coverage fell to 92.4%, below the 95% threshold needed for herd immunity.

## The story

CDC data shows kindergarteners' vaccine exemption rate rose to 4.2% in the 2025‑2026 school year, a record high. The figure represents a jump from 3.6% the previous year and nearly doubles the 2.2% level seen five years ago. Most exemptions are non‑medical, with religious reasons accounting for the majority, according to the agency. The rise comes amid the United States' highest measles case count in 35 years, and the MMR vaccination coverage slipped to 92.4%, below the 95% threshold experts say is needed for herd immunity. Health officials warn that even small declines in coverage can raise the risk of outbreaks of highly contagious diseases such as measles.

> Summary by Daily Read Bytes. Read the original at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_crP-tuGhSQ