Despite overall stable vaccination rates in Washington schools, increasing exemptions and falling coverage among kindergartners signal rising hesitancy, risking further measles outbreaks in the state.
Washington’s school vaccination rate held steady last year, but a growing share of families opted out of required shots, a sign public health officials say points to rising hesitancy even as most children remain protected against diseases such as measles, whooping cough and chickenpox.
State data show about 90% of K-12 students met immunisation requirements during the 2025-26 school year, roughly flat from the year before, according to the Washington State Department of Health. Kindergarteners, however, were less likely to be up to date, with coverage falling to about 87%, the lowest level for that age group in seven years. Exemptions also increased, climbing from 3.9% to 4.5% across all K-12 students, with religious exemptions accounting for much of the rise.
Meredith Cook, a senior epidemiologist with the health department, said uncertainty and misinformation around vaccines have helped drive the shift. She said parents are increasingly concerned about vaccine safety and confused about what is recommended, which has translated into lower confidence and more hesitancy.
The trend comes as measles is once again a live concern in Washington. The state has recorded 56 cases so far in 2026, mostly in Clark and Snohomish counties and mainly among unvaccinated children. Dr Beth Ebel, a paediatrician at Harborview Medical Centre, said families are seeing measles in their own communities rather than as a distant risk, and many are especially worried about children too young to be vaccinated or those who cannot receive shots for medical reasons.
Washington still met the 95% herd-immunity benchmark for measles among K-12 students overall last year, but kindergartners did not. Their MMR coverage, for measles, mumps and rubella, fell for the fifth year in a row to about 90%, while exemptions for that vaccine affected more than 3,000 young children. The state does not allow personal exemptions for MMR, but parents may still seek medical or religious exemptions for other required vaccines.
National data show Washington is not alone. Federal figures released this year found kindergarten vaccination rates slipping across the country, while K-12 exemption rates rose to a record 4.2%, or 155,000 children. Washington’s overall rate remains relatively high, but officials say the fact it has not rebounded to its pre-pandemic peak suggests the erosion in confidence may be sticking.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
