Vaccine exemptions are on the rise in North Carolina
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The share of kindergartners in North Carolina with vaccine exemptions has increased steadily over the past decade, mirroring what's happening nationally.
Why it matters: The trend is a reflection of increased vaccine skepticism, which has lingered in some parenting corners for years but gained considerable steam during the COVID-19 pandemic, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick writes.
By the numbers: In North Carolina, 2.9% of kindergartners entered school with a vaccine exemption in 2024.
- That is up from 1% in 2014.
Zoom out: Nationwide, 3.3% of kindergartners had vaccine exemptions this year.
- Idaho was the state with the largest share of vaccine exemptions at 14.3%.
- California, New York and West Virginia had the lowest share of vaccine exceptions at 0.1%
The big picture: Childhood vaccination has been stalling out globally, Axios' Tina Reed and Adriel Bettelheim report.
- And Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Trump administration's pick for the head of the Department of Health and Human Services, has been one of the country's most prominent vaccine skeptics.
Go deeper: What to know about RFK Jr.'s positions on vaccines, drugs and health care