ATLANTA — Newly released data from the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows vaccination rates among kindergartners remain high nationwide but declined slightly during the 2025-2026 school year.
According to the CDC, vaccination coverage among U.S. kindergartners decreased for all reported vaccines by 0.1% compared with the previous school year.
At the same time, exemptions from one or more vaccines increased. During the 2025-2026 school year, 4.2% of kindergartners nationwide had an exemption from at least one vaccine, up from 3.6% the year before.
In Georgia, CDC data shows 86.8% of kindergartners are fully vaccinated with required immunizations, a decline from a decade ago.
The new numbers come as measles cases are rising across the country.
The CDC continues to encourage parents to discuss vaccination options with their doctors.
WSB Radio’s Sabrina Cupit contributed to this story.