Chicago – August 18, 2026
Vaccination rates among U.S. children have declined in recent years, raising concerns among public-health officials about the return of preventable diseases. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that routine childhood vaccination coverage has fallen from pre-pandemic levels for several vaccines.
Experts cite several factors, including concerns about vaccine safety, misinformation, distrust of health institutions, difficulties accessing healthcare, and an increase in parents seeking exemptions from school vaccination requirements. Religious exemptions are permitted in many states, while some states also allow personal or philosophical exemptions.
The decline has contributed to lower community immunity, particularly in areas where vaccination rates fall below levels needed to prevent outbreaks. Measles, one of the most contagious vaccine-preventable diseases, has seen outbreaks in multiple U.S. communities.
Public-health authorities emphasize that vaccines undergo extensive safety monitoring and remain a key tool for protecting children and vulnerable populations from serious infectious diseases.
