Robert Malone Downplays 0.1% Drop in US Kindergarten Vaccination Rates
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 19
Robert Malone Downplays 0.1% Drop in US Kindergarten Vaccination Rates
2 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 19
Summary
CDC data for the 2025-2026 school year showed U.S. kindergarten vaccination coverage slipped 0.1% and parental exemption claims increased, but former ACIP vice chair Robert Malone said the change is not alarming.
Malone argued compliance with the CDC schedule remains in the high 90% range, calling the decline a very small shift rather than evidence of broad parental rejection of childhood vaccines.
He still said the data may signal rising skepticism in a small slice of the population, tying that mistrust partly to government communication failures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Malone also pushed back on media links between the school-entry data and a measles surge, saying outbreaks are global, not uniquely American, while stressing vaccination remains the best protection.
With measles cases hitting record highs in 2026, could a seemingly harmless 0.1% drop in national vaccinations secretly fuel massive local outbreaks?
Why are thousands of parents quietly opting out of childhood vaccines while still overwhelmingly believing they are safe?
As public trust in health institutions plummets, how will schools protect vulnerable children from highly contagious diseases in high-exemption states?