(Oct. 16, 2026) – The measles/mumps/rubella vaccination rate among Kansas kindergarteners is 90.26 percent for the 2025 – 2026 school year, according to the KDHE Kindergarten Immunization Data Dashboard. This is down from 94.47 percent in the 2019 – 2020 school year. At the same time, the statewide exemption rate for vaccinations among Kansas kindergarteners increased from 2.12 percent in the 2019 – 2020 academic year to 4.46 percent in the 2025 – 2026 academic year. There are more than 3,800 measles cases in the U.S. as of Oct. 1, making 2026 the worst year for measles since 1991. While KDHE reports that as of Sept. 14, 2026, there have been two confirmed cases of measles in Kansas, our current MMR vaccination rate for kindergarteners is below the recommended community immunity threshold to prevent transmission of measles.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a CIT of 92 to 94 percent, achieved through vaccination or prior infection, is needed to prevent the spread of measles. AAP recommends routine measles vaccination with a two-dose series of the MMR or measles/mumps/rubella/varicella vaccine; dose one at 12 to 15 months of age and dose two at four to six years of age. The Immunize Kansas Coalition Measles Resource Hub includes tools to help practitioners and clinical staff reduce vaccine hesitancy. Tools included in the hub are short-form "Ask a Doctor" videos, a social media toolkit, commonly asked questions and answers and links to a host of other resources.
--Karen Braman