Skip to main content

Vaccine Exemptions Increased for Children in Kindergarten in 2022 to 2023

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Nov 13, 2023.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Nov. 13, 2023 -- In 2022 to 2023, there was an increase in exemptions for vaccination among children in kindergarten, according to research published in the Nov. 10 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Ranee Seither, M.P.H., from the CDC in Atlanta, and colleagues reviewed estimates for complete vaccination with the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR); diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis vaccine (DTaP); poliovirus vaccine (polio); and varicella vaccine (VAR), and exemption from vaccination using data reported by 49 states and the District of Columbia (DC) for the 2022 to 2023 school year.

The researchers found that for all vaccines, national coverage remained near 93 percent. Exemptions were low, but increased to 3 percent compared with 2.6 percent in the 2021 to 2022 school year. Compared with coverage in the 2021 to 2022 school year, coverage with the MMR, DTaP, polio, and VAR vaccines decreased in 29, 31, 28, and 25 states, respectively. In 40 states and DC, exemptions increased; 10 states reported that >5 percent of kindergarteners had an exemption from at least one vaccine.

"A better understanding of the reasons behind nonmedical exemptions increasing in 40 states and DC, and their impact, could help develop policies that would complement those interventions, to bring higher vaccination coverage and protection against vaccine-preventable diseases within reach of more states," the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted November 2023

Read this next

BMI Cutoff of 30 for Obesity May Be Too High for Middle-Aged, Older Adults

FRIDAY, May 31, 2024 -- The optimal body mass index (BMI) cutoff point appears to be 27 kg/m2 for detecting obesity in middle-aged and older adults, according to a study presented...

Emergency Inguinal Hernia Surgery Rates Increased With Lower Country Income

FRIDAY, May 31, 2024 -- For patients undergoing inguinal hernia surgery, emergency surgery rates increase from high- to low-income countries, according to a study published online...

Maternal Serum Alpha-Fetoprotein Levels Higher in Black Than White Women

FRIDAY, May 31, 2024 -- Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels are higher in Black than White pregnant women, supporting the use of accounting for these differences in...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.