Vaccination Coverage for Selected Vaccines and Exemption Rates Among Children in Kindergarten — United States, 2017–18 School Year

• Published in: MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report 2018-10, Vol.67 (40), p.1115-1122
• Main Authors: Mellerson, Jenelle L., Maxwell, Choppell B., Knighton, Cynthia L., Kriss, Jennifer L., Seither, Ranee, Black, Carla L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chickenpox Vaccine - administration & dosage; Child, Preschool; Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine - administration & dosage; Full Report; Health Care Surveys; Humans; Immunization Programs; Immunization Schedule; Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine - administration & dosage; Schools; United States; Vaccination; Vaccination - statistics & numerical data; Vaccination Coverage - statistics & numerical data
• ISSN: 0149-2195; 1545-861X
• DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6740a3

State and local school vaccination requirements exist to ensure that students are protected from vaccine-preventable diseases (1). This report summarizes vaccination coverage and exemption estimates collected by state and local immunization programs* for children in kindergarten (kindergartners) in 49 states and the District of Columbia (DC) and kindergartners provisionally enrolled (attending school without complete vaccination or exemption while completing a catch-up vaccination schedule) or in a grace period (a set interval during which a student may be enrolled and attend school without proof of complete vaccination or exemption) for 28 states. Median vaccination coverage was 95.1% for the state-required number of doses of diphtheria and tetanus toxoids, and acellular pertussis vaccine (DTaP); 94.3% for 2 doses of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR); and 93.8% for 2 doses of varicella vaccine. The median percentage of kindergartners with an exemption from at least one vaccine was 2.2%, and the median percentage provisionally enrolled or attending school during a grace period was 1.8%. Vaccination coverage among kindergartners remained high; however, schools can improve coverage by following up with students who are provisionally enrolled, in a grace period, or lacking complete documentation of required vaccinations.