DAYTON, Ohio-Immunization rates for Ohio kindergarten students have not fully returned to pre-pandemic levels and have recently declined slightly. For the 2023-2024 school year, 86.2% of kindergarten students were up-to-date on required vaccinations, down from 86.5% the previous year. State health officials emphasize the importance of vaccines in protecting against diseases, despite some perception that these diseases are no longer relevant. The state requires vaccinations for school attendance, with exemptions allowed for medical, religious, or personal reasons.
