US kindergarten vaccination rates fall as exemptions reach record levels

Kindergarten vaccination rates in the U.S. for diseases like MMR have continued to decrease, while vaccine exemptions have reached a record high of 4.2% for the 2025-2026 school year. This trend, affecting an estimated 155,000 children, primarily due to nonmedical reasons, has contributed to the worst year for measles in the U.S. since 1991. The decline raises public health concerns regarding community immunity.