Childhood Vaccine Exemptions Hit Record High as Measles Cases Surge Across U.S.

Childhood vaccine exemptions for medical or religious reasons have reached a record high. SDI Productions/E+/Getty Images A CDC report shows that MMR vaccination coverage among U.S. kindergartners fell from 92.5% in 2024–25 to 92.4% from 2025–26, well below the 95% associated with herd immunity against infectious diseases like measles. Medical or religious exemptions from one or more school-required vaccines rose from 3.6% to a record 4.2%, with 24 states reporting exemption rates above 5%. The vaccine exemption report arrives on the heels of an executive order issued by President Trump that suggests splitting the MMR vaccine into separate shots. The CDC reported 2,566 confirmed measles cases in the United States as of August 13, marking a 35-year high. Vaccines are widely regarded as safe and effective in preventing the spread of infectious diseases. Despite this, vaccine safety is under scrutiny by top U.S. health officials just as vaccine exemptions in the United States hit an all-time high. A record 4.2% of U.S. kindergartners had an exemption from at least one required vaccine during the 2025–26 school year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) rele…