US Kindergarten Vaccination Rates Hit Record Low as Measles Cases Surge in 2026
Childhood vaccination rates for measles among US kindergartners reached a record low in 2026, even as measles cases climbed to 1,792 confirmed infections. Public health officials warned that falling rates below the 95 percent threshold needed for community protection are driving the outbreaks. The trend has alarmed pediatricians and health agencies across the country.
Vaccination rates among US kindergartners fell to a record low in 2026, even as measles cases climbed to 1,792 confirmed infections across the country, according to public health data reported in August.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracks vaccination coverage among kindergartners as a key indicator of community protection. Rates have been declining for several years, but 2026 marked the lowest point on record. Public health officials say coverage needs to stay above 95 percent to prevent outbreaks, and many school districts are now falling well below that threshold.
Doctors and health agencies have raised alarms about the trend. Pediatricians report that vaccine hesitancy, fueled in part by misinformation spread online, has made it harder to maintain the coverage levels that kept measles largely eliminated in the United States for decades.
The 1,792 measles cases recorded in 2026 represent a significant increase from prior years. Outbreaks have been concentrated in communities with lower vaccination rates, including some school districts where exemption rates have risen sharply.
Whooping cough cases have also increased alongside the measles surge, with doctors warning that the two trends are connected to the same underlying drop in childhood immunization.
Health officials have called on parents to consult their pediatricians and ensure their children are up to date on recommended vaccines. Several states have tightened exemption policies in response to the outbreaks, though the changes have faced legal challenges in some jurisdictions.
The record low vaccination rates come despite the availability of safe and effective vaccines that have been in use for decades.
