Childhood vaccination rates for the 2024-25 school year fell for the fifth year in a row, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

New data: The CDC found that during the 2024-25 school year, 4.1% of kindergartners had a vaccine exemption, surpassing the previous high of 3.7% from the year before. Nearly all were nonmedical, meaning they were for religious or other reasons. [NBC News]

Rates have been declining across the country, with all kindergartner coverage for each of the vaccines having dropped since 2021.