CDC: Childhood Vaccine Exemption Rates Reach Record High

CDC data reveals childhood vaccine exemption rates reached a record high during the 2024-2025 school year, with 4.1% of kindergartners (approximately 138,000 children) having exemptions, up from 3.7% the previous year. Nearly all exemptions were classified as nonmedical, meaning they were granted for religious or personal reasons rather than medical necessity. This trend coincides with 2025 recording the highest number of measles cases in 33 years, with 1,333 cases reported across 39 states.