In Oregon, vaccination rates among school-aged children have reached a concerning new low, according to the Oregon Health Authority (OHA). The state has seen a significant rise in nonmedical exemptions, which have climbed to 10.9% for the 2025-2026 school year, up from 6.9% in the 2021-2022 school year.
Impact on Community Health
The decline in vaccination rates, particularly among kindergarteners, has been notable. The percentage of kindergarteners up to date on required vaccines has dropped to 85.6%, continuing a decade-long downward trend. The OHA warns that this could lead to the return of diseases such as measles and polio, which are preventable through vaccination.
Dr. Howard Chiou, medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations at OHA’s Public Health Division, expressed concern over these trends. “We risk seeing the return of diseases such as measles and polio — diseases of the past that once caused widespread harm but are entirely preventable with vaccines,” Chiou stated.
Exemption Trends and Disease Resurgence
The highest rate of nonmedical exemptions is for the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, with an exemption rate of 9.4%. This mirrors national trends and has coincided with a resurgence of illnesses like measles. The U.S. recorded 2,288 measles cases in 2025, a post-eradication record.
Similarly, the DTaP vaccine, which protects against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, has seen increased exemptions. Pertussis rates in Oregon reached a 75-year high in 2025, with 1,475 cases reported.
Community and Policy Responses
OHA highlights “pockets of risk” at schools across the state, with roughly a third of Oregon schools falling below the herd immunity threshold of 93%. Parents are encouraged to review their child’s school immunization rates to better understand personal and community risks.
Meg Olson, Director of Oregon Families for Vaccines, described the data as “a ringing alarm for officials across our state,” urging policymakers to take action to protect communities and children. She also criticized efforts by figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to spread misinformation about vaccines.
Oregon allows nonmedical exemptions for religious, philosophical, or other beliefs, provided parents watch an educational video or have documentation from a healthcare practitioner. In 2019, Oregon lawmakers considered stricter exemption requirements, but the bill was ultimately quashed.
Original reporting: KGW Portland — read the source article.
