Why 1 In 6 U.S. Parents Are Rejecting Vaccine Recommendations

A new Washington Post–KFF poll has found that one in six U.S. parents have skipped or delayed routine childhood vaccinations, not including flu or coronavirus shots, for their children. While the vast majority of parents continue to follow recommended schedules, the survey highlights a concerning rise in vaccine hesitancy driven largely by distrust in government institutions and concerns about safety.According to the poll, conducted between July 18 and August 4, 2025, among 2,716 U.S. parents and guardians, 16 percent reported delaying or skipping at least one vaccine for their child. Even more troubling, 9 percent admitted skipping highly critical immunizations such as the polio or measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines. Public health experts warn that skipping such vaccines risks large-scale outbreaks of diseases once thought to be under control.“This survey gives us the clearest picture yet of what is fueling hesitation,” said Liz Hamel, KFF’s vice president and director of public opinion and survey research, as reported by the Washington Post. “We still have strong support for vaccines among parents in this country, but we’re also seeing cracks in confidence, especially among younger parents. The big question is whether those cracks will deepen.”Who Is Skipping Shots?The Post–KFF poll shows that vaccine avoidance is not evenly distributed. Instead, it is tied to specific demographics, political beliefs, and educational practices. Home-schooling families were the most likely to skip or delay shots, with 46 percent reporting they had done so.White, very religious parents had particularly high rates, with 36 percent reporting skipped or delayed vaccines, and 23 percent specifically skipping MMR or polio vaccines.Republican parents were also more likely to resist vaccines: 22 percent delayed or skipped a vaccine, compared with only 8 percent of Democrats.Age also played a role, with 19 percent of parents under 35 reporting skipped vaccines, compared with 12 percent of parents over 50.Democrats and Asian parents were among the least likely to delay or skip vaccines, with only 8 percent and 5 percent doing so, respectively.Why Parents Say NoThe reasons parents gave for vaccine hesitancy overwhelmingly related to safety fears and mistrust, rather than access or cost. 67 percent of hesitant parents cited concerns about side effects.53 percent said they don’t believe vaccines are entirely safe.51 percent questioned whether all recommended vaccines were even necessary.A smaller number, 42 percent, resisted because they didn’t want multiple shots given in one visit.By comparison, logistical barriers such as cost (5 percent), lack of time (9 percent), or difficulty scheduling appointments (9 percent) were rarely mentioned.As one Arizona mother, Anna Hulkow, told The Post: “I don’t think my kids are worse off to get [chicken pox] firsthand.” Hulkow, who moved her family in part because of stricter school vaccine requirements in California, said she distrusts what she views as a profit-driven health care system.Distrust of Federal Health AgenciesThe survey underscores a sharp erosion of trust in federal institutions charged with vaccine safety. Just 49 percent of parents said they have confidence in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure vaccine safety and effectiveness, while 51 percent expressed doubt.Confidence was highly polarized along party lines:60 percent of Democrats said they trust the agencies.48 percent of independents expressed confidence.Only 41 percent of Republicans said the same.This skepticism has grown since the coronavirus pandemic, which politicized public health guidance and created space for misinformation to spread widely online.The Influence of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.The appointment of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime critic of vaccines, has intensified debates. While Kennedy’s claims linking vaccines to autism have been repeatedly debunked by dozens of studies, the Post–KFF poll found that at least four in ten parents say they don’t know whether such claims are true or false.Even without firm belief in Kennedy’s most controversial assertions, many parents expressed trust in his broader critique of federal vaccine policy. Among Republicans, 54 percent said they trusted Kennedy to provide reliable information about vaccines. Among parents overall, 36 percent expressed similar trust.One Las Vegas mother, Imani Schaade, told The Post she believes vaccines contributed to her daughters’ autism and allergic reactions. While she ultimately vaccinated her son for school entry, she said Kennedy “created a wave of people coming out and being able to speak out about [vaccines], and people have an opinion.”The “Mushy Middle”While a small percentage of parents identify as explicitly anti-vaccine (6 percent), nearly half fall into what The Post calls a “mushy middle”, parents who vaccinate but express skepticism. These parents may agree to vaccines like MMR and polio but express doubt about flu or COVID-19 shots, or delay doses because they are wary of multiple shots in a single appointment.In fact, 52 percent of parents did not vaccinate their children against the flu last year, even though flu shots have been widely recommended since 2010. And only 13 percent of eligible children received last year’s coronavirus vaccine, according to federal estimates.Also Read: Unique Symptoms Of Flu In 2025 And How Long The Infection LastsWhat Public Health Experts SayPublic health organizations, including the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), continue to stress that recommended childhood vaccines are safe, effective, and extensively tested before approval.“Delaying or spreading out vaccine doses leaves your child unprotected during the time when they need vaccine protection the most,” the CDC warns.The AAP has also emphasized that natural infection, such as allowing children to contract chicken pox, carries risks far more serious than those posed by vaccines. Before the chicken pox vaccine was introduced, the disease killed between 100 and 150 Americans annually and hospitalized thousands more.The Political TensionWhile vaccine hesitancy is more common among Republicans, the poll found 77 percent of Republican parents still follow vaccine recommendations, including 84 percent who vaccinate against measles and polio.That strong baseline of support has made vaccine mandates politically sensitive. A conservative polling firm recently warned GOP lawmakers that aggressively rolling back school vaccine requirements could be politically damaging, given that most Trump voters still believe vaccines save lives.The Post–KFF poll found that 81 percent of all parents believe public schools should require measles and polio vaccines, with exceptions only for medical or religious reasons.Parents Who Still BelieveSome parents told The Post they felt increasingly isolated in their communities for supporting vaccines.Elizabeth Stratford, a retired ICU nurse and Republican mother of six in Utah, described her frustration:“I’ve taken care of people with polio and with rubella and with measles in my 35 years of nursing, and I don’t know why anybody would ever want those diseases,” Stratford said. “If people knew what these diseases were about, they would probably be more responsible.”What Comes NextThe Washington Post–KFF poll paints a mixed picture: strong support for foundational vaccines like MMR and polio, but waning trust overall, especially around flu and COVID-19 shots. Younger parents, white religious conservatives, and home-schooling families are leading the resistance.Public health experts fear that if vaccine skepticism continues to spread, and if federal leadership amplifies misinformation, the United States could see the return of once-eradicated diseases.But for now, most parents are still vaccinating, even if they have questions. The challenge for policymakers and health professionals will be to rebuild trust, counter misinformation, and remind parents of what’s at stake.

Why 1 In 6 U.S. Parents Are Rejecting Vaccine Recommendations

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Why 1 In 6 U.S. Parents Are Rejecting Vaccine Recommendations