The Latest Vaccine News
Aug 21, 2026
Declining Kindergarten Vaccination Rates
Aug. 17, 2026 – The CDC released a report showing declining vaccination rates among kindergarteners in the US. In response, AAP President Andrew D. Racine, MD, PhD, FAAP, issued a statement, writing that, “What today’s data show is that over 92 percent of kindergarteners in the United States are vaccinated. When it comes to vaccination rates, however, anything less than achieving an A+ grade is not good enough.” AAP News also published an article emphasizing the decline in kindergarten measles vaccination rates last school year as measles cases surged.
Executive Order on Childhood Vaccines
Aug. 10, 2026 – A new Executive Order (EO) from the Trump administration proposes reducing and spacing out recommended childhood vaccines. AAP leadership responded, emphasizing that the directive is unscientific, potentially harmful, and not aligned with established immunization evidence.
The EO recommends decreasing routine childhood vaccines from 18 to 11, splitting the MMR vaccine into three separate shots, and urging states to reconsider school-entry vaccine requirements. These changes contradict decades of scientific consensus and could increase confusion, hesitancy, and vulnerability to disease.
AAP continues to recommend the full evidence‑based immunization schedule, developed through expert review and endorsed by numerous medical organizations. Pediatricians should be prepared for increased questions from families and potential state‑level policy activity.