Vaccine Facts & Statistics

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Vaccinations are important for your child’s health, and they are also a public health concern. Yet vaccination rates are often lagging. Here are some facts & statistics on vaccine & immunization rates in America:

Vaccination rates in the United States

1. Overall, less than I % of U.S. children in the 19- to 35-month-old age group have gotten no vaccines at all. This number may seem small, but the problem is that a full 30% of children in all age ranges have skipped at least some of their recommended shots. (Kluger, 20 II)

2. According to the CDC, teen vaccinations are especially lagging behind, as up-to-date vaccinations are generally not mandated for teens or college students. (Szabo, 8-9-2011)

3. A Ithough overall rates of measles (MMR) vaccination in the U.S. are high (with 94.3% of kindergartners fully vaccinated for the 2017-18 school year), areas with lower vaccination rates are prone to outbreaks. (Abbott, 4-9-2019_) And even this 94% rate is borderline problematic, since measles is so contagious it can find a foothold in communities with vaccination rates below 95%.

Public attitudes toward vaccines

1. In a recent survey of more than 1,500 parents, one-quarter mistakenly believed that vaccines can cause autism, and more than 1 in 10 had refused at least one recommended vaccine because of this myth. (Daley & Glanz, 2011)

2. A 2008 survey showed that as many as 1 out of 4 Americans believe vaccines can poison kids. (Wallace, 2009)

3. Just 71 % of Americans think vaccines are safe, down 6% since April 2021. Only 63% believe the Covid-19 vaccine is safer than getting Covid. down from 75% in 2021. Sixteen-percent now believe the long-debunked myth that vaccines cause autism, up from 10% in 2021. (The Week, 11-17-2023, p. 17)

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