There has been the highest childhood vaccine exemption rate ever in the US

There has been the highest childhood vaccine exemption rate ever in the US, per the CDC.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported on Thursday that the number of children exempted from routine childhood vaccines by their caregivers has reached an all-time high, posing a potential risk of leaving hundreds of thousands of children vulnerable to preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough. While the report did not delve into the specific reasons for the increase, experts suggest that it reflects a growing unease about medicine among Americans, pointing to a rising distrust in the healthcare system.

According to the CDC, 3% of children entering kindergarten during the 2022-2023 school year received a vaccine exemption, marking the highest rate ever reported in the U.S. Exemption rates increased in 40 states, with 10 states, including Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Michigan, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, and Wisconsin, experiencing rates exceeding 5%.

Idaho stood out with over 12% of children entering kindergarten obtaining a vaccine exemption in 2022.