JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – New data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reveals that the number of kindergartners getting vaccinated is down and the number of exemptions is at an all-time high.
Immunizations are one of the first steps a child takes before entering kindergarten. Vaccinations are necessary to protect ourselves and others from diseases such as chickenpox, measles, mumps, rubella, and polio. More than 92% of U.S. kindergartners received their required vaccinations last year, according to new data from the CDC. This number was 95% before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Duval County mother Jennifer Levy got her son vaccinated years ago when he started school. Although she feels vaccination should be a personal choice, she is glad her son got vaccinated.
“We had a president who had polio,” Levy said. “It’s something that helped eradicate it so I don’t even have to think about it today. That’s why I personally think it’s important to me.”
The immunization level for kindergartners last year was 90.6%, according to a chart from the Florida Department of Health, along with federal numbers. In Duval County, the rate is 88.9%. For Dr. Jeffrey Goldhagen, this decline is of great concern. Dr. Goldhagen is a professor of pediatrics and director of the community pediatrics division at the University of Florida. This is consistent with a pattern he has observed since the coronavirus pandemic, but it remains a risk to children and others.
“We know that measles is making a comeback. We know that children are at risk for pertussis, influenza, pneumococcal disease, and more,” Dr. Goldhagen said. “Children are dying from these preventable diseases. It’s a tragedy when a child dies from a preventable disease that could have been prevented with vaccination.”
Dr. Goldhagen says child vaccination rates need to be around 97-98% to establish herd immunity to protect the community.
“It’s less than 90%, and this really poses a risk to many children and adults,” Dr. Goldhagen said.
Although vaccinations are decreasing, vaccination exemptions are being expanded. Looking at Florida’s data specifically regarding the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine, 11,031 kindergarteners are on the list exempt from one or more vaccinations in the 2023-24 school year. This is a difference of 705 yen compared to last year.
A local mother named Chantel is currently homeschooling her children and is no longer vaccinated. She told me the reason.
“There are health risks,” Chantel said. “In my opinion, it’s not worth it.”
Dr. Goldhagen emphasizes that the vaccine is safe and urges parents to consult with their pediatrician or family doctor to make an informed decision.
“There are very few sciences and medical sciences that are as well researched as the question of the effects of vaccines on the causes of disease and the causes of autism. That’s bogus,” Dr. Goldhagen said. “Parents’ concerns that vaccines can cause autism or other medical problems are completely unfounded, because the science has proven that.”
CDC data breaks down vaccination exemptions by state. Information from the Florida Department of Health can be found here.
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