(New York) In the United States, the kindergarten vaccination rate dropped slightly last year, while the proportion of exempt children reached a record level, according to federal data published Thursday.
The proportion of children exempt from the vaccination obligation increased to 4.1 %, against 3.7 % the previous year. This is the third year consecutive year for this exemption rate, and the vast majority consist of parents who refuse to have their children vaccinated for non -medical reasons.
In addition, 92.5 % of kindergarten students from 2024-2025 received compulsory vaccines against measles, mumps and rubella, a slight decline compared to the previous year. Before the Pandemic of COVID-19, the vaccination rate was 95 %, a threshold which reduces the risks that one infection triggers a home or an epidemic.
The vaccination figures have been published while the United States has experienced its worst year in terms of propagation of measles for more than three decades, with more than 1,300 cases identified to date.
Centers for disease control and prevention (CDC) traditionally publish vaccination coverage data in their flagship publication, the Weekly report on morbidity and mortality.
CDC managers generally evoke possible trends and explanations, and highlight the importance of vaccination. This year, the agency discreetly published the data online and, questioned on this subject, sent a press release by email.
“The decision to be vaccinated is a personal decision. Parents must consult their health professionals to find out the options available to their families, “said the press release, adding that” vaccination remains the most effective way to protect children from serious illnesses, such as measles and whooping, which can cause hospitalization and long -term health complications. »»
Public health officials focus on the vaccination rates of kindergarten children, as schools can be household proliferation and springboards for community epidemics.
For years, these rates were high, largely thanks to the school attendance obligations which imposed essential vaccinations. All American states and territories require children attending crèches and schools to be vaccinated against a number of diseases, including measles, mumps, polio, tetanus, darling and paintings.
All states grant exemptions for children whose state of health prevents them from receiving certain vaccines. Most also allow exemptions for religious reasons or other non -medical reasons.
Over the past decade, the percentage of kindergarten children benefiting from medical exemptions has remained stable, at around 0.2 %. On the other hand, the percentage of children benefiting from non -medical exemptions has increased.
These rates can be influenced by policies that obtain more or less easy exemptions, as well as by the local attitude of families and doctors about the need to have children vaccinated. Online disinformation and political divisions that appeared around COVVI-19 vaccines led more parents to question the systematic vaccination of children, according to experts.
According to CDC data, 15.4 % of kindergarten children benefited from an exemption for one or more vaccines in Idaho in the past school year. But less than 0.5 % did it in Connecticut.
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