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U.S. NEWS Friday 13 January 2023
U.S. kindergarten vaccination rate dropped again, data shows

By MIKE STOBBE mumps and rubella.
AP Medical Writer This week, the CDC
NEW YORK (AP) — Vacci- launched a campaign
nation rates for U.S. kinder- called “Let’s RISE” an ac-
garteners dropped again ronym for Routine Immu-
last year, and federal of- nizations on Schedule for
ficials are starting a new Everyone. It includes new
campaign to try to bring educational materials to
them up. help doctors talk to families
Usually, 94% to 95% of kin- about vaccinations, as well
dergarteners are vacci- as information for families
nated against measles, who have questions about
tetanus and certain other the shots.
diseases. The vaccination Building trust in vaccina-
rates dropped below 94% tions “is something that has
in the 2020-2021 school to happen at the local and
year, during the first year of community level,” Pea-
the COVID-19 pandemic. cock said.
A Centers for Disease Con- Thursday’s CDC study was
trol and Prevention study based on public school kin-
released Thursday found dergarten vaccination re-
rates dropped again in the ports from 49 states, and re-
2021-2022 school year, to porting on private schools
about 93%. from 48 states. Montana
The pandemic disrupted Socially distanced kindergarten students wait for their parents to pick them up on the first day of did not report data.
vaccinations and other in-person learning at Maurice Sendak Elementary School on April 13, 2021, in Los Angeles. Rates vary across the coun-
Associated Press
routine health care for chil- try. CDC officials noted sig-
dren, and also taxed the tion of attendance, though of diseases once thought for school vaccine require- nificant increases in a few
ability of school adminis- some exemptions are al- to be in the rearview mir- ments vs. a 2019 survey. states, including Hawaii,
trators and nurses to track lowed. ror, experts say. They point “It’s crazy. There’s so much Maine, Maryland and Wyo-
which children weren’t Such exemptions were up to a case of paralytic polio work to be done,” said Dr. ming. But most states saw
up-to-date on shots. CDC slightly last school year, but reported last year in New Jason Newland, a pediat- declines, with the largest
officials said decreased the CDC’s Shannon Stokley York, and to recent mea- ric infectious diseases doc- drops in Mississippi, Georgia
confidence in vaccines is said they are not the main sles surges in Minnesota tor at St. Louis Children’s and Wisconsin.
another likely contributor. driver of the decrease. and Ohio. Hospital and vice chair for A second CDC report on
“I think it’s a combination Rather, more schools re- Those outbreaks coincide community health at Wash- Thursday found overall
of all those things,” said Dr. laxed their policies to al- with anecdotal and sur- ington University. vaccination rates among
Georgina Peacock, direc- low enrollment while giving vey information suggesting Other physicians have younger children remained
tor of CDC’s immunization families a grace period to more parents are ques- told him that more par- high and stable, although
division. get shots, she said. tioning bedrock childhood ents are being selective there were declines among
Health officials focus on The new numbers suggest vaccines long celebrated about which vaccines to kids who were poor and
kindergarten because it’s that as many as 275,000 as public health success give their kids. CDC data lived in rural areas. The re-
when most children en- kindergartners lack full vac- stories. reflected that: The chick- port was based on a 2021
ter school systems. Public cine protection. A Kaiser Family Foundation enpox vaccination rate fell national telephone survey
schools typically require Falling vaccination rates poll last month found less more sharply than the rate of parents of children who
vaccinations as a condi- open the door to outbreaks support among parents for shots against measles, were about 2 years old.q

Trump to hold 1st public campaign

event in South Carolina

By MEG KINNARD public campaign appear- into the 2024 campaign,
Associated Press ances to events at his Mar- it's unclear how broad his
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — a-Lago estate in Florida be- support is in the state, al-
Former President Donald fore an invited crowd or in though he has at least one
Trump is planning to hold a virtual setting. high-level backer among
the first public campaign The South Carolina visit, first the South Carolina's GOP
event of his 2024 White reported by Politico, comes leadership.
House bid in the early-vot- as Trump's campaign The night that Trump an-
ing state of South Carolina. has faced criticism, even nounced his 2024 bid, South
Campaign spokesperson among some longtime al- Carolina Gov. Henry Mc-
Steven Cheung told The As- lies, for its low profile since Master — who, as lieuten- Former President Donald Trump announces a third run for
sociated Press on Thursday the announcement. ant governor in 2016 was president as he speaks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., Nov.
that Trump will visit South Trump remained popular the first statewide-elected 15, 2022. Associated Press
Carolina later this month. in South Carolina through- official in the country to
No other details were im- out his term in office after endorse Trump — said he mediately return a mes- for it. The governor's spokes-
mediately announced. his decisive 2016 primary would again support the sage Thursday regarding man said he would wait for
Since announcing his latest victory in the state helped former president. whether the governor an official announcement
presidential run in Novem- cement his status atop a A spokesman for McMas- would attend Trump's event from the Trump campaign
ber, Trump has limited his wide field of rivals. Heading ter's campaign didn't im- or was part of the planning to comment.q