Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published two articles on childhood immunization in the Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Report (MMWR).

• “National, State, Regional, and Selected Local Area Vaccination Coverage Among Children Aged 19-35 Months – United States, 2015” highlights 2015 National Immunization Survey (NIS) data, which revealed no significant changes in overall vaccination coverage relative to the previous year. The survey did find that more than 90% of children were up to date on vaccination against certain diseases (polio; hepatitis B; measles, mumps, and rubella; varicella); however, children living below the poverty level, as well as children in rural areas, continued to have lower coverage of several vaccines. Read the report for more information.
• “Vaccination Coverage among Children in Kindergarten – United States, 2015-16 School Year” found that among the 50 states and the District of Columbia (DC), median vaccination coverage was 94.6% for 2 doses of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR) and 94.2% for local requirements for diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis vaccine among 49 states and DC. Among the 42 states and DC with a 2-dose varicella vaccine requirement, varicella vaccine coverage was 94.3%. Thirty-two states reported an increase in 2-dose MMR coverage. The median exemption level remained low (1.9%) but exemption rates varied by state.