Data investigation: Childhood vaccination rates are backsliding across the U.S.
5 hours ago
- #measles
- #public health
- #vaccination
- Declining childhood vaccination rates in the U.S. are threatening public health, with 77% of counties reporting notable declines since 2019.
- Vaccine exemptions for school children are rising, with 53% of counties seeing exemption rates more than double.
- 68% of counties have MMR vaccination rates below the 95% herd immunity threshold, increasing the risk of measles outbreaks.
- St. Louis exemplifies the national trend, with kindergarten vaccination rates dropping from 91.6% in 2010-2011 to 75.9% in 2024-2025.
- Measles, a highly contagious virus, poses a significant threat, especially in areas with low vaccination rates like St. Louis, where MMR coverage is now 74%.
- Factors contributing to declining vaccination rates include rising exemptions, healthcare access challenges, and anti-vaccine messaging.
- Efforts by school nurses and healthcare providers to increase vaccination rates face obstacles like parental hesitancy and logistical barriers.
- Low-income and immigrant communities, such as St. Louis City, face greater challenges in accessing vaccinations, exacerbating health disparities.
- Anti-vaccine movements, fueled by figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., are making it easier for parents to opt out of vaccinations.
- Parents of immunocompromised children, like Lucy Pratt, are particularly vulnerable to outbreaks due to low community vaccination rates.