HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) -- New research reveals childhood vaccinations are dropping, while vaccine exemptions have reached a new high. With the beginning of the school year around the corner, doctors urge parents to consider vaccinating their kids.

"When we are vaccinated, we build what's called herd immunity," Paul Richardson, chief medical officer for Conway Medical Center, said. "That protects those of us in society from being exposed to diseases, much less getting them."

New research from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that kindergarten vaccination rates continue to decline, while vaccine exemptions are at an all-time high. 2025 was the third record-breaking year in a row for exemptions, and the majority of them were for non-medical reasons.

Health experts sa

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