On July 31, the CDC published a report that found that vaccination rates for all vaccines among U.S. kindergartners during the 2024-2025 school year decreased, including polio, DTaP, and MMR. The report also found that vaccine exemptions increased in 36 states and the District of Columbia. In response, some social media users celebrated the news, falsely claiming that skipping vaccines could make children healthier.
Recommendations
Routine vaccines are safe and they save children’s lives. They have prevented over 1 million deaths and 500 million illnesses in the U.S. over the last three decades. Recommended vaccines—including the TDaP, polio, and MMR vaccines—protect children from 21 serious diseases. High vaccination rates protect all children, including those who are too young to be vaccinated and people with health conditions that prevent them from getting vaccinated.
Fact-checking sources: Johns Hopkins, Public Good News
