A recent measles outbreak in Oregon is refocusing attention on declining childhood vaccination rates as kids head back to school.
Why it matters: Lingering vaccine hesitancy from the pandemic is evident in pediatricians’ offices as more parents opt out of the shots for measles, chicken pox, and whooping cough, among others, using non-medical religious exemptions.
While official data lags by several months, public health experts told Axios that anecdotal reports suggest rates continue to fall, leaving the population more vulnerable to outbreaks.
