Childhood vaccination rates in the U.S. have decreased to their lowest levels in years, coming amid turmoil at the CDC and shifting federal guidance on COVID-19 vaccines.  Here are four things to know: 

An NBC News analysis published Sept. 15 of state records showed that since 2019, 77% of U.S. counties and jurisdictions reported declines in childhood vaccination rates, ranging from less than one percentage point to more than 40 points.

During the 2024-2025 school year, routine vaccine coverage among kindergartners in the U.S. fell, ranging from 92.1% for the DTaP vaccine to 92.5% for the MMR vaccine, according to a July 31 CDC report. Exemptions rose to 3.6%, up from 3.3% the previous year.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is calling for the elimination of nonmedical vaccine exe

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