What the New CDC Data Shows
The CDC released its vaccination data for the 2025-2026 school year on Monday. Two findings stood out: a 0.1% decline in vaccination coverage among children entering kindergarten, and an increase in parents claiming vaccine exemptions for their children.
Small numbers, but they extend a trend that public health officials have been watching closely.
Malone's Case for Calm
Malone, an accredited physician and veteran scientist, walked through the numbers and found little to fear.
"The latest CDC data indicates a 0.1% year-in-year decline in the uptake or acceptance of the vaccine schedule among kindergartners. In certain contexts, the average across the United States shows roughly a 1% shift. Regardless, we are still talking about a very low single-digit lack of compliance with the CDC's recommended vaccine schedule," he said.
"Those are the facts," he continued, "and they are not particularly alarming. Even by the CDC's own report, we still maintain a very high rate of compliance among kindergartners."
His Beef With the Coverage
Malone reserved sharper words for how the data has been reported. "The narrative that this represents a clear and compelling signal of parents becoming disaffected with vaccination... whoever's promoting that kind of messaging, it's not in the data," he said.
He singled out coverage linking the dip to the ongoing measles outbreak, arguing the US is not an outlier. "This outbreak is not restricted to the United States. It is occurring worldwide, including in Canada and across many nations that have not experienced this level of vaccine controversy or hesitancy," he said.
He was equally direct on the science: "Measles cases are on the rise globally, and vaccination remains the most effective protection against infection. However, does this new kindergarten data represent a major threat? Absolutely not."
The Signal He Does See
Malone, a vocal critic of vaccine mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic, did concede the data carries one real message: a small but growing skepticism toward childhood vaccination, which he ties to falling trust in the scientific establishment.
"I think we can all agree [there were] failures in accurate communication by the government during COVID," he said, pointing to the recent Senate hearings involving former NIH Director Anthony Fauci and related disclosures.
Even so, he argued, the bigger picture holds: "We still have very robust year-in, year-out uptake of vaccines in kindergarten ages."
What Comes Next
The next CDC school-year report will show whether the dip is noise or the start of a steeper slide, and whether exemption claims keep climbing. For now, Malone's prescription for parents and policymakers alike is the one on the poster: "Keep calm and carry on. There is nothing in this data to panic about."
Frequently Asked Questions
- What did the new CDC data show?
- A 0.1% decline in vaccination coverage among children entering kindergarten in the 2025-2026 school year, plus an increase in parents claiming vaccine exemptions.
- Who is Dr. Robert Malone?
- A physician and veteran scientist who served as vice chair of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and a vocal critic of vaccine mandates during COVID-19.
- Does he think the decline is dangerous?
- No. He calls the data "not particularly alarming" and says kindergarten vaccine compliance remains very high.
- What about the measles outbreak?
- Malone notes it is global, not a US-only phenomenon, and stresses that vaccination remains the most effective protection against infection.
- Does he see any warning sign in the data?
- Yes, one: a small but growing skepticism toward childhood vaccination, which he links to lost trust in government communication during COVID.
