Ohio Sees Decline in Childhood Vaccination Rates as Measles Cases Rise Nationally
Childhood vaccination rates in Ohio continue to decline, with fewer children receiving immunizations against preventable diseases like polio and measles, according to new data from the Ohio Department of Health.
Between the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years, the percentage of Ohio kindergarteners with all recommended vaccines fell from 86.2% to 85.4%. Before the pandemic, that figure was nearly 90%. The diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP) vaccine dropped by half a percentage point, while polio and measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines each declined by one percentage point.
This drop comes as the U.S. records its first measles deaths in a decade, with outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico driving most current cases. While Ohio has not reported any cases this year, the state experienced an outbreak of around 80 measles cases in 2022.
Dr. Matthew Washam, director of epidemiology at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, warned of measles’ severe complications, stating, “Measles virus is the most contagious respiratory virus and can cause complications affecting every organ system.”
Ohio Department of Health Director Bruce Vanderhoff called the trend “alarming” and attributed some of the decline to vaccine skepticism. He emphasized that claims linking the MMR vaccine to autism have been thoroughly debunked.
“Nothing else is going to provide us with near the profound levels of protection that vaccines can provide,” Vanderhoff said. The CDC recommends two doses of the MMR vaccine, one at 12-15 months and another at 4-6 years, to ensure strong immunity.
