Illinois Childhood Vaccination Rates Remain High Despite Federal Vaccine Rollback
Illinois maintains high childhood vaccination rates despite federal efforts to reduce vaccine requirements, with more than 95 percent of children receiving 10 school-required vaccines as of October.
More than 95 percent of Illinois children received 10 school-required vaccines as of October, according to data released Monday by the state health department. The statewide numbers represent an improvement from the previous school year, with all but one vaccine meeting or exceeding the 95 percent coverage goal needed to prevent disease spread.
The measles vaccination rate is 96.8 percent across the state, slightly higher than in the past two school years but lower than during the 2020-2021 school year. Chicago's rate is 95.8 percent, while suburban Cook County reached 97 percent. Pulaski County in southern Illinois was the only county with a measles rate under 90 percent.
Governor JB Pritzker said in a statement, Our latest school immunization numbers validate our efforts to make vaccines more accessible. I am grateful to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the State Board of Education, school administrators, healthcare professionals, and families for their efforts to keep our state's youngest residents healthy, informed, and immunized.
The state charted its own course on vaccines, breaking with federal government guidance. In February, Illinois adopted a vaccine schedule developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics that differs from federal recommendations. Pritzker signed a bill into law last year formally establishing a process for the state to issue its own vaccine guidelines.
This move follows federal efforts led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to limit childhood vaccinations. The CDC reduced the number of recommended vaccines earlier this year, but a federal judge temporarily blocked the decision in March following a lawsuit filed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Dr. Jennifer Seo, pediatric medicine medical adviser at the state health department, said the state is well protected overall. She credited relatively high vaccination rates to clear guidance and recommendations in Illinois. Seo noted that state agencies, local health departments, providers, schools and community organizations have been working together to improve vaccination rates.
The state health department launched a mobile vaccination program last year to bring vaccines to certain areas and schools to increase access. People can look up vaccination rates by school and school district on the state health department's newly updated dashboard.
Areas with lower vaccination rates include several counties in northwest Illinois and far southern Illinois. Chicago also had rates below 95 percent for certain vaccines, including 92.7 percent for diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough.
More than 200 Chicago Public Schools had vaccination rates below 90 percent for some types of vaccines. A district statement said they have continued to make meaningful strides in immunization rates and continue to work with families and school administrations to increase vaccination rates.
The district provides free vaccines to eligible children through the city health department's immunization program, which includes school-based health clinics and mobile clinics.
The new data come after more than 2,200 cases of measles were reported last year in the United States, the highest number in more than 30 years. The state saw a slight decrease in the number of school children vaccinated against hepatitis B, which dropped from 97.3 percent last school year to 97.2 percent this year.
The state's data also shows an increase in the number of vaccine exemptions due to religious reasons. There were 17,460 religious exemptions for this school year compared to 2,425 a decade ago, according to state data.