On February 7, a child in Kentucky reportedly died from the flu, the state’s first pediatric flu death this season—according to the Kentucky Department for Public Health.
In January, officials in Gaines County, Texas, reported at least 10 cases of measles—eight of which were among school-aged children—driving worries of an escalating outbreak.
Late last year, Oregon experienced its largest measles outbreak in more than 30 years. The Oregon Health Authority reported 31 cases of measles across the state.
Resoundingly true across all these cases is the lack of vaccinations. These states, along with other countries around the world, experienced the impending consequences of declining childhood vaccination rates following the COVID-19 pandemic. While the United States does not top the list when it comes to the highest percentage of unvaccinated children, the decline of vaccinations despite its easy access and mass quantity has researchers and clinicians alike alarmed.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that vaccination rates among children have not yet bounced back to rates seen prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of children without any vaccinations has increased by 0.2%, and rates for almost all forms of vaccinations (including diphtheria, tetanus toxoids, and acellular pertussis; Hepatitis A; Hepatitis B vaccine; Haemophilus influenzae type B conjugate; measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine; pneumococcal conjugate; varicella) had decreased.
Similarly, research from the CDC says that routine childhood vaccine uptake among U.S. kindergarteners in public and private schools declined to less than 93% in the 2023 school year, down from 95% in 2019 and 93% in 2022. At the same time, exemptions rose to a record 3.3%, up from 3.0% and 2.6%, respectively—the highest that the CDC has ever recorded.
Trends among U.S. parents, adults
In the U.S., vaccinations have become a major fixture of politicians and party ideologies, especially as it came to workplace requirements during the pandemic. President Donald Trump has consistently denied the impact of the COVID-19 virus and has called for the removal of masking and vaccination mandates, even suggesting cutting federal funding from schools that maintain these requirements.
However, regardless of party affiliation, American parents still find that childhood vaccinations have their advantages. Vast majorities of both Democrats (95%) and Republicans (82%) have heard about the advantages of vaccines. Fewer in each group—68% of Republicans and 61% of Democrats—report hearing about disadvantages.
The impact of poor childhood vaccination rates
The more children that lack vaccinations, the higher the risk of disease outbreak and death, according to the CDC. For the 2023 through 2024 flu season, a total of 207 children died as a result of the flu, topping the previous high from the prior season at 187. Of the children eligible for vaccines, over 80% of the children were not fully unvaccinated, which has been a consistent percentage across previous years as well. In the 2023-2024 season, the CDC estimates indicated that flu vaccination reduced the risk of flu-related hospitalization for vaccinated children by 50%.
Measles outbreaks resulted in a spike in cases for 2024, reaching around 285. However, these numbers pale in comparison to the 1,274 cases in 2019. So far, in 2025, there have been 14 confirmed cases, all of which in individuals who were unvaccinated or otherwise unknown. Whooping cough, similarly, has seen an uptick in cases matching pre-pandemic levels.
The Center for American Progress writes that decreases in vaccination rates may end up costing parents more than simply going to get the vaccine. Researchers estimate that every dollar spent on childhood vaccination saves $3 in direct medical care and $10 in “societal costs,” which include special education programs for children who are harmed by vaccine-preventable disease as well as lost wages due to disability or time spent caregiving.
Role of public health officials, parents, teachers, and others
The American Academy of Pediatrics has pushed out guidance to help clinicians tackle vaccine hesitancy in parents, encouraging members to give stronger recommendations and evidence. School-based vaccination clinics and the increased role of teachers in providing education on vaccinations are also encouraged. However, the official next steps of the incoming administration on tackling vaccine mandates remain unclear at this time.
By Lois Angelo