Key Takeaway:
- The Oregon Kindergarten Vaccine exemption rate climbed to a record 10.9% in 2026, rising sharply from 6.9% in 2022.
- Health officials warn falling vaccination rates could increase outbreaks of measles, polio and whooping cough.
- Rural counties showed the highest exemption spikes, with Wheeler County reaching 25% nonmedical exemptions.
Oregon Reports Sharp Rise in Vaccine Exemptions
Oregon Kindergarten Vaccine exemptions reached a record 10.9% in the 2025-26 school year, according to state health officials, sparking concerns about potential outbreaks of measles, polio, and whooping cough.
The Oregon Health Authority said the exemption rate increased from 6.9% in 2022, continuing a years-long decline in childhood vaccination coverage across the state. Officials reported that 85.6% of Oregon kindergarteners are fully vaccinated, down from nearly 90% a decade ago.
Health officials warned that falling vaccination rates could weaken community immunity and increase the spread of preventable diseases.
“Although the vast majority of families in Oregon are still choosing to protect families through vaccination, the downward trends are deeply concerning,” Howard Chiou, the OHA’s medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations, said in a statement.
“We risk seeing the return of diseases such as measles and polio — diseases of the past that once caused widespread harm but are entirely preventable with vaccines,” Chiou added.
Measles Vaccine Exemptions Lead to Statewide Increase
The second dose of the measles vaccine recorded the highest nonmedical exemption rate among required immunizations for kindergarteners, according to the agency. In 2026, 9.4% of students received exemptions for the vaccine, nearly double the 4.9% reported 10 years earlier.
The Oregon Health Authority said measles remains one of the world’s most contagious diseases and emphasized vaccination as the most effective protection against infection.
The agency cited guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics stating that between 92% and 94% of a population must be immune to measles to prevent widespread transmission.
The Oregon Kindergarten Vaccine exemption rate for the DTaP shot, which protects against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, was the second-highest among kindergarteners. State officials highlighted that pertussis, or whooping cough, surged to a 75-year high in Oregon in 2025.
Public health experts say lower vaccination coverage can create localized outbreaks, especially in communities with concentrated exemption rates.
Rural Counties Show Higher Rates of Exemptions
Oregon Kindergarten Vaccine exemption rates varied widely across counties, with rural areas reporting significantly higher levels compared to urban communities.
In Wheeler County, 25% of kindergarteners received nonmedical exemptions for at least one required school vaccine in 2026, up from 6% in 2022, according to state data. In Multnomah County, which includes Portland, the exemption rate rose to 4.9% from 3.1% during the same period.
The Oregon Health Authority warned that such disparities create “pockets of risk” where preventable diseases can spread more easily.
Nationwide, nonmedical vaccine exemptions among kindergarteners have increased in recent years. However, Oregon continues to report rates well above the national average.
Data cited by the Oregon Journalism Project showed exemption rates in Oregon have risen faster than in most other states in recent years, adding to concerns among public health officials about declining confidence in routine childhood immunizations.
State health leaders said they plan to continue outreach efforts encouraging vaccination and educating families about the risks associated with preventable diseases.
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