Recent data reveals that fewer parents in the U.S. vaccinated their kindergartners last school year, as more families requested exemptions from vaccinations.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published these statistics on Wednesday, highlighting a trend that has emerged since the COVID-19 pandemic, during which a growing number of parents chose to skip important vaccinations that help safeguard young lives. As a result, cases of preventable diseases are rising across the nation.

Dr. Georgina Peacock, director of the CDC’s Immunization Services Division, stated that the consequences for children, their families, and surrounding individuals can be severe or even deadly.

“As we observe a drop in childhood vaccinations, we are also witnessing more communities facing outbreaks of diseases like measles and whooping cough nationwide,” she noted in her statement. “Vaccination remains the most effective method for preventing these outbreaks and protecting children from harm.”

Most public schools require vaccinations for attendance unless exemptions apply. According to the CDC’s report for the 2023-24 school year, vaccination rates for all monitored vaccines among kindergartners have decreased. For instance, the two-dose measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine now stands at 92.7%, down from 95.2% in the 2019-20 academic year.

Additionally, the rate of kindergartners with exemptions for at least one vaccine increased to 3.3%, compared to 3% in the previous year. These exemptions were reported to have risen in 40 states and Washington, D.C., with 14 states seeing exemption rates surpass 5%.

The CDC states that achieving at least 95% vaccination coverage in communities can effectively prevent outbreaks of diseases such as measles.

In September, health authorities in North Carolina confirmed the state’s first measles case since 2018, involving a child in Mecklenburg County, likely exposed while abroad. The MMR vaccination rate among kindergartners in North Carolina has dropped to 93.8%. This decline is concerning in Mecklenburg County, which includes Charlotte, as it has seen a rise in vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks alongside decreasing vaccination rates.

Even a small number of unvaccinated individuals can have significant repercussions for communities and schools.

“While it may not seem like many students, we are observing the resurgence of outbreaks,” Raynard Washington, director of the Mecklenburg County Public Health Department, told YSL News. “It’s evident that the decline in vaccination coverage is impacting the health of families and children in our communities.”

Washington noted several factors contributing to these rising exemption rates. One major reason is the growing number of non-medical exemption requests. He also mentioned misinformation about vaccine safety influencing parental decisions and the challenges families face in keeping up to date with vaccinations due to health care access issues.

“Parents generally want the best for their children,” added Dr. Octavio Ramilo, chair of the infectious diseases department at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. “However, many younger parents may not have experienced the severe consequences that vaccine-preventable diseases caused prior to the widespread use of vaccines, such as measles leading to brain swelling or infants suffering seizures from whooping cough.”

“We are effectively preventing deaths and severe health issues,” Ramilo explained to YSL News. “However, conveying this importance can be challenging.”

Unvaccinated individuals can suffer from serious illnesses, which could also affect any healthy child or person nearby. A student with underlying health conditions that prevent them from getting vaccinated may be particularly vulnerable and could face the most severe consequences.