The Growing Trend: More NH Kindergarteners Skipping Vaccinations

It seems a growing number of New Hampshire kindergarteners are heading to school without all the usual vaccinations, a trend that's really picking up steam across the country too. When you look at the data, it's quite clear: for the 2025-26 school year, our state's exemption rate for kindergarteners hit 5.4%. That's a significant jump, a 1.3 percentage point increase from the previous year, and it certainly gives us pause for thought.

This isn't just a New Hampshire phenomenon, mind you. Nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the vaccine exemption rate climbed to 4.2% for that same school year, up from 3.6% just 12 months prior. We're talking about an estimated 155,000 children across the country who aren't fully vaccinated as they start their academic journey. Here in the Granite State, our rate actually sits a bit above the national average, which is something many are watching closely.

So, what's driving this noticeable uptick? Well, according to folks like Dr. Karen Morgan, a pediatrician at Merrimack Pediatrics, a big part of it stems from parents simply trying to navigate a vast, sometimes overwhelming, sea of health information. There's a lot out there, and it's completely natural for parents to have questions, to dig a little deeper into vaccine components, and to feel a sense of uncertainty amidst it all. It's a complex decision for many families, grappling with what they believe is best for their children's health and safety.

For those considering an exemption, New Hampshire law, specifically RSA 141-C:20-c, lays out two primary pathways: medical and religious. A medical exemption, as you might expect, requires a licensed physician or authorized healthcare provider to certify that a vaccination would genuinely be detrimental to the child's health. The duration of that exemption, by the way, is left up to the physician's discretion. The religious exemption, on the other hand, is a bit more straightforward, requiring just a signature from a parent or legal guardian stating their objection is due to religious beliefs. Interestingly, a 2022 law (HB 1035) removed the requirement for a notary signature, making that process a touch simpler for families.

It's important to remember, though, that these exemptions aren't without potential consequences. The New Hampshire Division of Public Health has the authority to recommend the exclusion of unvaccinated children from school or childcare facilities during a communicable disease outbreak. It's a measure designed, quite reasonably, to protect the wider community, especially those who might be medically vulnerable.

And just when you think you have a handle on things, the landscape of required vaccinations itself seems to be evolving. Historically, students here in New Hampshire, whether in public schools, Catholic schools, or licensed daycares, needed shots for ten specific diseases, including things like measles, mumps, rubella, and polio. But, as of June 2026, there was a significant vote by NH House Republicans to actually end the requirements for Chickenpox, Hepatitis B, and HiB vaccinations for public school attendance. This potential shift certainly adds another layer of complexity to an already intricate topic, and it'll be fascinating to see how it plays out in the years to come.