A record number of kindergarteners were exempted from mandatory vaccinations last school year, new government data reveals. Photo credit: Adobe Stock/HealthDay News
In another sign that childhood immunizations cannot be taken for granted, new government data shows a record number of kindergarteners were exempted from required immunizations during the last school year. There is.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that more than 125,000 new students have received at least one childhood measles vaccine, even though measles vaccination rates among kindergarteners have already fallen below federal targets for four years in a row. Not protected by vaccines.
Meanwhile, by July of this year, the number of measles cases in the United States had already tripled the total number of cases in 2023.
“Public health officials are concerned about declines in vaccination rates among kindergarteners. Pediatric vaccines are safe and effective and have made a huge difference in reducing suffering and death from once-dreaded infectious diseases. ” said Dr. Marcus Plescia, the association’s chief medical officer. state and territory health officials told CNN.
Lori Tremmell Freeman, CEO of the National Association of County and City Health Officials, echoed that concern.
“The broader story is that vaccination rates declined in 35 states, and by at least 1 percentage point in 14 of those 35 states,” Freeman told CNN. “That means approximately 280,000 students will not have proof of full vaccination.”
“But the more we consider local communities and neighborhoods, the more the risks can be even more disparate, because we find that there are more communities that are vaccine hesitant,” she said. “You often see the same people gathering together in these communities, and because they all have similar beliefs, the disease can spread quickly.”
What is the decline in measles vaccination coverage?
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has set a goal for at least 95% of kindergarteners to receive two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, a threshold that helps prevent outbreaks of the highly contagious disease. It is.
But coverage dipped during the pandemic and has not recovered. Measles vaccination rates declined again last year, reaching 92.7% for kindergarteners in the 2023-24 school year, according to CDC data.
Vaccination rates for other state-mandated vaccinations, including diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, known as DTaP, and polio, also declined.
Last school year, vaccine exemptions reached the highest level ever reported, with approximately 3.3% of kindergartners receiving exemptions for one or more required vaccines. Most were non-medical exemptions, according to the data.
Not surprisingly, some areas with low vaccination rates have already seen outbreaks this year, Freeman said.
Last March, there was a measles outbreak in Chicago that infected at least 57 people linked to an immigrant shelter, and there was a measles outbreak at an elementary school in Broward County, Florida, in February.
Measles is a highly contagious disease that can cause serious health problems and death, especially for young and unvaccinated children.
Common symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, watery eyes, and a rash with red spots. According to the CDC, about 1 in 5 unvaccinated people will be hospitalized. Approximately 1 in 20 children will develop pneumonia, and others may develop a dangerous swelling of the brain called encephalitis. Up to three out of every 1,000 children infected with measles can die from respiratory and neurological complications.
“While it is reassuring that more than 9 out of 10 children are receiving recommended vaccines, seemingly small declines (for example, from 93.1% to 92.7% MMR vaccination coverage) can have significant negative effects. ” said Amy Pisani. the CEO of the nonprofit organization Vaccinate Your Family told CNN. “These data points are important because every time coverage declines, all children are at increased risk of developing serious infectious diseases that were once a thing of the past.”
Detailed information
The World Health Organization has more information about measles.
Copyright © 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
