HONOLULU
—
Vaccination
rates
among
kindergartners
in
Hawaiʻi
were
lower
for
the
2025-2026
school
year
compared
to
the
previous
year,
while
religious
exemptions
increased,
according
to
the
Centers
for
Disease
Control
and
Prevention
(CDC)
SchoolVax
survey.

According
to

newly-released
data
from
the
CDC,
Hawaiʻi
kindergartener
vaccination
rates
have
fallen,
reversing
a
previous
three-year
trend
of
improvements.
State
vaccination
rate
estimates
have
remained
at
or
below
the
national
average
for
the
past
three
school
years
across
all
vaccinations.

According
to
the
CDC,
the
religious
exemption
rate
in
Hawaiʻi
increased
from
5.5%
for
the
2024-2025
school
year
to
6.0%
for
the
2025-2026
school
year.
This
trend
is
consistent
with
an
increase
in
religious
exemptions
from
3.4%
to
4.0%
nationally.

The
CDC
estimates
of
statewide
vaccination
rates
are
based
on
data
from
a
small
random
sample
of
Hawaiʻi
schools.
The
Hawaiʻi
Department
of
Health
(DOH)
has
continued
its
independent
monitoring
of
vaccination
trends
using
data
from
all
schools,
with
the
2025-26
school
year
numbers
to
be
released
soon.

“Parents
want
to
protect
their
keiki.
With
the
increase
in
conflicting
information
about
vaccines,
it’s
understandable
that
parents
may
be
uncertain
how
best
to
do
so.
However,
these
rates
mean
too
many
children
are
vulnerable
to
infection
and
communities
are
at
increased
risk
for
an
outbreak
of
a
vaccine
preventable
disease
—like
we’re
seeing
with
measles
on
the
mainland,”
said
Dr.
Kenneth
Fink,
DOH
director.
“We
strongly
recommend
the
routine
childhood
vaccines
to
protect
the
health
of
loved
ones,
and
we
encourage
parents
with
questions
to
discuss
them
with
their
child’s
healthcare
provider.”

High
vaccination
rates
are
essential
to
keeping
Hawaiʻi
healthy,
with
a
goal
of
95%
coverage.
Improving
community
immunity
is
important
to
prevent
or
decrease
the
spread
of
diseases
from
person
to
person.
This
also
helps
to
protect
people
at
highest
risk
of
serious
disease,
such
as
infants,
people
with
a
weakened
immune
system,
kūpuna
and
those
who
are
pregnant.

“It
is
worrisome
to
see
an
increasing
number
of
our
students
unprotected
against
potentially
serious
diseases
like
measles
and
pertussis,”
said
Dr.
Sarah
Kemble,
state
epidemiologist
and
a
pediatrician.
“Staying
up
to
date
with
all
recommended
immunizations
is
the
best
defense,
and
we
continue
to
support
the
American
Academy
of
Pediatrics’
vaccination
schedule.
We
recommend
families
review
their
children’s
immunization
records
and
talk
to
their
pediatric
provider
if
they
have
questions.”

Childhood
immunizations
are
vital
for
protection
against
serious
diseases
such
as
pertussis
(whooping
cough),
measles
and
mumps.
The
percentage
of
kindergarteners
vaccinated
with
MMR,
the
vaccine
that
prevents
measles,
mumps
and
rubella,
remains
below
90%
for
Hawaiʻi
according
to
the
CDC
data.
With
record
measles
cases
reported

nationally
and
worldwide,
as
well
as
recurring
outbreaks
of
pertussis
in
Hawai‘i,
the
DOH
urges
families
to
check
their
child’s
vaccination
records
with
a
healthcare
provider
to
make
sure
they
are
up
to
date.
Completing
the
full
vaccine
series
provides
the
best
lifelong
defense
against
these
diseases.

Now
in
its
second
year,
the
Healthy
Hawaiʻi
Partners
Program
(HHPP)
continues
to
make
it
easier
for
families
across
the
state
to
access
vaccines
and
other
essential
health
services.
HHPP
strengthens
community
health
by
bringing
schools,
healthcare
providers
and
local
organizations
together
to
offer
convenient,
culturally
responsive
care
close
to
home.
Through
these
partnerships,
families
can
receive

school-required
immunizations,
flu
and
COVID-19
vaccines,
physical
exams,
TB
screenings
and
wellness
checks
in
settings
they
trust
—
right
on
campus
or
within
their
community.

In
its
first
year,
the
2024-2025
school
year,
HHPP
facilitated
47
clinics.
During
the
2025-2026
school
year,
the
program
increased
access
to
services
by
supporting
over
500
clinics.
Planning
for
the
2026-2027
school
year
is
now
underway.
A
few
early
clinics
have
been
completed,
and
most
schools
are
still
finalizing
their
calendars
and
clinic
dates.

#
#
#