US childhood vaccination rates fall again as exemptions set another record
The fraction of kids exempted from vaccine requirements rose to 4.1%, up from 3.7% the year before. It's the third record-breaking year in a row for the exemption rate, and the vast majority are parents withholding shots for nonmedical reasons.
Meanwhile, 92.5% of 2024-25 kindergartners got their required measles-mumps-rubella shots, down slightly from the previous year. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the vaccination rate was 95% — the level that makes it unlikely that a single infection will spark a disease cluster or outbreak.
The vaccination numbers were posted as the U.S. experiences its worst year for measles spread in more than three decades, with more than 1,300 cases so far.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention traditionally releases the vaccination coverage data in its flagship publication, the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. CDC officials usually speak to the trends and possible explanations, and stress the importance of vaccinations. This year, the agency quietly posted the data online and — when asked about it — emailed a statement.
'The decision to vaccinate is a personal one. Parents should consult their health care providers on options for their families,' the statement said, adding; 'Vaccination remains the most effective way to protect children from serious diseases like measles and whooping cough, which can lead to hospitalization and long-term health complications.'
Public health officials focus on vaccination rates for kindergartners because schools can be cauldrons for germs and launching pads for community outbreaks.
For years, those rates were high, thanks largely to school attendance mandates that required key vaccinations. All U.S. states and territories require that children attending child care centers and schools be vaccinated against a number of diseases, including, measles, mumps, polio, tetanus, whooping cough and chickenpox.
All states allow exemptions for children with medical conditions that prevent them from receiving certain vaccines. And most also permit exemptions for religious or other nonmedical reasons.
In the last decade, the percentage of kindergartners with medical exemptions has held steady, at about 0.2%. But the percentage with nonmedical exemptions has risen.
The rates can be influenced by policies that make it harder or easier to obtain exemptions, and by local attitudes among families and doctors about the need to get children vaccinated. Online misinformation and the political divide that emerged around COVID-19 vaccines have led more parents to question routine childhood vaccinations, experts say.
According to the CDC data, 15.4% of kindergartners had an exemption to one or more vaccines in Idaho in the last school year. But fewer than 0.5% did in Connecticut.
___
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Menopause increases your risk of STIs due to how aging changes your body
Diagnoses for sexually transmitted infections, or STIs, are increasing in older adults. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports the number of people older than 65 diagnosed with chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis in the U.S. increased about three-, five- and sevenfold, respectively, from 2010 to 2023. Data also suggests that women older than 50 are at greater risk for HIV than younger women. Explanations for why these infections are so common in older adults include limited understanding of STIs in this age group, infrequent condom use and increased availability of medications for conditions that typically limit sexual activity in older adults, such as like Viagra and Cialis for erectile dysfunction and estrogen creams and tablets for vaginal dryness. Many older adults are reluctant to discuss their sexual history with their partners and health care providers, which contributes to misconceptions that they are monogamous or sexually inactive. In my work as an infectious disease scientist, I examine the largely unexplored biological reasons for why postmenopausal women have increased susceptibility to STIs. My recently published research shows that menopause is associated with loss of the genital tract's protective barrier, an essential defense against the microbial pathogens that cause STIs. Menopause: A natural part of aging Menopause is the stage in a woman's life marked by no menstrual periods for 12 consecutive months. In the U.S., menopause begins on average between ages 45 and 55. It is estimated that by the year 2030, 1.2 billion women worldwide will be menopausal or postmenopausal. Menopause results from a loss of estrogen production from the ovaries, which can diminish vaginal lubrication and vaginal tissue elasticity. This can cause a condition called genitourinary syndrome of menopause, or GSM, which involves symptoms such as vaginal dryness and irritation, painful sex and frequent urinary tract infections. Roughly half of postmenopausal women experience GSM. In addition to these negative effects on vaginal health, research from my lab has found that menopause also compromises the structural integrity of the tissue lining the vagina. The surface of the vagina is composed of multiple layers of epithelial cells that are held together by numerous adhesion molecules, including the proteins desmoglein-1, or DSG1, and desmocollin-1, or DSC1. These proteins strengthen the vaginal lining and restrict pathogen access to deeper tissue, reducing the risk of infection. To explore how menopause affects the vaginal lining, we compared the DSG1 and DSC1 levels in vaginal tissue from postmenopausal and premenopausal women. We found significantly lower DSG1 and DSC1 levels in postmenopausal women. We then surgically removed the ovaries of mice to model the loss of ovarian estrogen production in postmenopausal women. We also detected significantly less DSG1 and DSC1 proteins in vaginal tissue from mice without ovaries compared with mice with intact ovaries. Mice without ovaries also had greater susceptibility to infection with herpes simplex virus type 2, or HSV-2, and were less able to clear chlamydia infection from their lower genital tract. On the other hand, applying estrogen cream to mice without ovaries restored the integrity of their vaginal lining and fully protected these mice from HSV-2 infection. Too important to ignore Fully understanding the behavioral and biological risk factors that contribute to STI susceptibility can help clinicians and public health officials tackle the startling increases in STIs among older adults. Together, our studies show there is a loss of integrity in the vaginal lining after menopause. While additional research is needed, findings from our lab suggest that estrogen-containing compounds used to relieve vaginal irritation and other symptoms of genitourinary syndrome of menopause can also reduce susceptibility to STIs among older adults. In the meantime, health care providers can help reduce the risk of STIs among older adults by consistently counseling them about safe sex practices and offering routine STI screening. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Thomas L. Cherpes, The Ohio State University Read more: Millions of women are working during menopause, but US law isn't clear on employees' rights or employers' obligations Iceland's recent volcanic eruptions driven by pooling magma are set to last centuries into the future The sex of your cells matters when it comes to heart disease Thomas L Cherpes receives funding from the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
The Hill
43 minutes ago
- The Hill
What still causes the plague in the US?
(NEXSTAR) — Northern Arizona recently recorded its first pneumonic plague-related death since 2007. Early last year, Oregon saw its first case of the bubonic plague since 2015. Person-to-person spread of the plague hasn't been seen in more than 100 years in the U.S., but cases occasionally pop up. So what causes them? The plague cases reported in the U.S. today are not exactly the same as those seen in medieval Europe. Between 1347 and 1352 alone, it's estimated that the plague caused the deaths of at least 25 million Europeans. Rats aboard a ship from the Crimea and Asia that docked in Sicily are blamed for bringing the bubonic plague into Europe. Once fleas ran out of host rodents in Europe – those that lacked resistance to the plague also died – they sought out humans. Fungus labeled 'urgent threat' by CDC is spreading rapidly, hospital study finds Eventually, those who were sick or at risk of carrying the plague were isolated and put into quarantine, much like guidance issued during the COVID pandemic. A vaccine in the late 19th century, improved sanitation, better health practices and modern antibiotics have been credited with helping to stop the spread of the plague when it pops up. The U.S. now sees about seven cases annually, on average, according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The World Health Organization says most human cases over the last three decades have been in Africa. When cases do occur in the U.S., they're primarily in the West, with most reported in New Mexico and Arizona. Cases have also appeared within the region of southern Oregon, far western Nevada, and California. U.S. cases are, most often, bubonic. There are three main forms of the plague: bubonic (the most common during Europe's Black Death), septicemic, and pneumonic. Generally speaking, plague is brought on by the Yersinia pestis bacterium, with humans and mammals being affected. 'Quiet cracking' is the newest term for a workplace problem — and it's 'pretty pervasive,' expert says The three types of plague present with different symptoms and are caused by different things. Bubonic plague is caused by the bites of fleas that are mostly found on rodents. Symptoms of bubonic plague, the Cleveland Clinic explains, include a sudden high fever; chills; headaches; pain in the abdomen, arms, and legs; and large, swollen lymph nodes that can leak pus. While the bacteria will multiply in the lymph node where it entered the body, it's capable of spreading to other parts of the body if not treated with antibiotics. Septicemic plague has similar symptoms to bubonic plague, including fever, chills, extreme weakness, pain in the abdomen, shock, and the possibility of bleeding into the skin and other organs, the CDC explains. This form of plague can develop from untreated bubonic plague as well as from the handling of infected animals. Should a person with bubonic or septicemic plague go without treatment, and the bacteria reach their lungs, they can develop pneumonic plague. A person can also get pneumonic plague from breathing in 'droplets coughed out by another person or animal with pneumonic plague,' according to the CDC. Like other forms of plague, a person infected with pneumonic plague may develop a fever, headache, weakness, and pneumonia, with the latter developing 'rapidly.' While bubonic and septicemic plague may take a few days to set in, the incubation period for pneumonic plague may be just over a day, the CDC reports. It's the only form that can be spread person-to-person, and it is considered the most serious form of the disease. Between 2020 and 2023, the CDC reported 15 human plague cases were reported. Of those, three died. As the Cleveland Clinic explains, plague has to be treated with antibiotics as quickly as possible — taking antibiotics within 24 hours of symptoms gives you 'the best chance of getting better.' You could begin feeling better within a week or two, as long as you receive treatment, according to health experts. Regardless of the type of plague, about 90% survive with quick treatment. Untreated, 'plague is nearly always fatal,' the Cleveland Clinic said. Health officials have not said how the Arizona resident who died earlier this year of the pneumonic plague became infected. Oregon's case of bubonic plague last year was believed to be brought on by a pet cat. In recent years, Colorado has reported a cat testing positive for septicemic plague and a cat, two prairie dog colonies, and a squirrel testing positive for bubonic plague. Infected fleas are largely to blame for plague cases that occur in the U.S. today, but the handling of infected animals – like cats, rabbits, rats, mice, and squirrels, according to New York's Department of Health – has also been known to lead to the plague. To avoid getting the plague, it's recommended that you take steps to avoid flea bites. That includes wearing bug spray with DEET and clearing up spaces outside where the wild animals fleas love may live. It's also important to speak with your veterinarian about preventing fleas on your pets. Your pets should also not be allowed to roam outdoors freely if you live in an area prone to the plague.
an hour ago
COVID babies are going to kindergarten
Dr. Judith Joseph, a psychiatrist and author, joins ABC News Live to discuss parents' reactions to babies born during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
