Title: Rise in Vaccine Exemptions Among US Kindergarteners Sparks Concerns
By Alexa Lardieri, U.S. Deputy Health Editor, Dailymail.Com
Updated: 23:01 29 Aug 2023
As concerns over the effectiveness and safety of vaccines continue to grip American parents, the percentage of kindergarteners with non-medical exemptions has seen a worrying increase during the 2021-2022 school year, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These exemptions, which are claimed on religious or philosophical grounds, suggest that genuine health concerns are not the main reason behind the rise.
In the 2021-2022 school year, the share of kindergarteners in the US with vaccine exemptions rose to 2.6 percent, up from 2.2 percent in the previous year. Non-medical exemptions were primarily responsible for this increase. Some of the states with the highest vaccination exemption rates among kindergarteners include Idaho (9.8 percent), Utah (7.4 percent), Oregon (7 percent), Arizona (6.8 percent), and Wisconsin (6.3 percent).
The data also reveals that 2.3 percent of kindergarteners had non-medical exemptions during the 2021-2022 school year, compared to 1.9 percent in the previous year. These exemptions cover vaccines that protect against diseases like chickenpox, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, and more.
Medical exemptions, which are granted to children with certain medical conditions that prevent them from receiving vaccines, have remained relatively consistent over the last 11 school years, with just 0.2 percent of kindergarteners having a medical exemption in the 2021-2022 school year.
States such as Mississippi, New York, and West Virginia have the lowest percentage of vaccine exemptions at 0.1 percent, while California has a rate of 0.2 percent and Washington, DC has a rate of 0.5 percent. Each state follows different guidelines for vaccination requirements and exemption criteria. Some states allow both religious and philosophical exemptions, while others prohibit them.
However, concerns have been raised over the rise in fake exemptions and the potential consequences for public health. Some individuals have been found to pay off doctors for bogus medical excuses, putting both individual and herd immunity at risk. In response, some states have proposed legislation to combat fraudulent exemptions, requiring stricter review processes and the creation of databases to track doctors with unusually high exemption rates.
The decline in vaccination rates, partly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, has raised concerns about herd immunity. A decrease in herd immunity can lead to outbreaks of previously eradicated diseases. Experts believe that COVID-19 vaccination policies may have inadvertently fueled vaccine hesitancy, with more parents claiming exemptions during the school year following the release of COVID vaccines.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, America’s top infectious disease expert, has admitted the counterproductive nature of some COVID vaccine policies, which have turned skeptics against vaccinations rather than convincing them of their importance. Dr. Fauci highlighted the divisiveness and anti-science sentiments that such policies have sparked.
The increase in vaccine exemptions among kindergarteners is a cause for concern, as it puts vulnerable populations and herd immunity at risk. Efforts to promote accurate information, combat misinformation, and strengthen vaccination requirements may be crucial in addressing this trend and safeguarding public health.