State Health Officials Warn of Declining Vaccination Rates in Oregon Schools
State health officials say 1 in 3 Oregon schools now fall below measles herd-immunity thresholds as kindergarten vaccine coverage drops to 85.6%.
- Oregon's childhood vaccination rates hit record lows for the 2025-2026 school year, with only 85.6% of kindergarteners up to date on required vaccines, according to the Oregon Health Authority. Nonmedical exemptions reached a record high of 10.9%.
- Public health officials strive for a 93% vaccination rate to achieve herd immunity, but roughly one-third of Oregon schools with at least 10 students fall below that threshold. Dr. Howard Chiou, OHA's medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations, warned this gap hides significant risks at individual schools.
- Alanna Braun, a pediatrician at OHSU, noted that falling immunization rates increase the likelihood of measles and pertussis outbreaks. She emphasized that such outbreaks threaten not only unvaccinated students but also immunocompromised peers and infant siblings unable to receive vaccinations.
- Oregon Families for Vaccines Director Meg Olson issued a statement calling the data "a ringing alarm for officials across our state." She urged policymakers to take decisive action to protect communities from misleading vaccine information impacting childhood immunization recommendations.
- Parents can review immunization rates for their child's school using the OHA's School Immunization Data Dashboard. Oregon's downward trend mirrors national declines as the state faces a resurgence in vaccine-preventable illnesses including measles and pertussis.
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Columbia Gorge News
Data shows record low compliance from Oregon families with kindergarten vaccine requirements
A record high number of Oregon kindergartners entered school without required vaccines this year, new state data shows. The Oregon Health Authority released figures on Thursday showing a 10.9% rate of vaccine exemption on nonmedical grounds statewide, compared to 9.7%…
Oregon child vaccination rates plummet to record low as opt-outs surge
Oregon kindergarten vaccination rates have dropped again, and state health officials say the trend is leaving more schools across the state exposed to outbreaks of measles and other preventable diseases.
State health officials warn of declining vaccination rates in Oregon schools
Oregon's kindergarten vaccination rates have fallen to a new low for the 2025-2026 school year. This coincides with record high nonmedical exemptions for required school vaccines. This decline raises concerns among state health officials about the potential return of preventable diseases like measles and polio. For the 2025-2026 school year, nonmedical exemptions for required school
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