In general, higher immunization rates should translate into lower rates of disease.
And it is true that in most states, including California, overall immunization rates are up.
So what’s happening?
Fact Checking the Truth About Vaccination Rates in California
Everyone knows what’s happening!
Clusters of unvaccinated kids and adults.
Abuse and overuse of vaccine exemptions.
And folks who continue to scare parents away from vaccinating and protecting their kids.

What’s the truth about California’s immunization rates and the reason they are still having outbreaks of measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases?
“Oh, but wait! What do you mean we have higher vaccination coverage NOW than we did back then? How can that be? I thought rates have been declining steadily for two decades putting us in a terrible position of falling wayyyy below herd immunity levels!?
Melissa Floyd
I thought the reason we are now “in danger of disease outbreaks” is because of the increasing number of children being exempted from vaccines? Hold on, wait. You’re telling me there are LESS kids exempted now than there were in the year 2000 when we were free of outbreaks because of “high vaccination rates”? That can’t be right…can it?”
You aren’t going to get it from anti-vaccine folks…

But it’s not surprising that you get misinformation about herd immunity from folks who think vaccines don’t actually create herd immunity.
And it shouldn’t be surprising that you can’t hide in the herd when your herd is a cluster of unvaccinated kids at a Waldorf school.
Vaccines are safe, with few risks, and are obviously necessary. Vaccinate your kids and help stop the outbreaks.
More on Fact Checking the Truth About Vaccination Rates in California
- VAXOPEDIA – How Is California’s New Vaccine Law Working?
- VAXOPEDIA – Why Should Medical Exemptions Be Based on CDC Contraindications?
- VAXOPEDIA – Bob Sears Doubles Down Against California Vaccine Laws
- VAXOPEDIA – Why Are We Worried About 60,000 Unvaccinated Kids?
- VAXOPEDIA – Why Are We Having Measles Outbreaks If MMR Vaccination Rates Are Not Declining?
- VAXOPEDIA – What is the Natural Immunity Model?
- VAXOPEDIA – Dr. Bob Puts the Nail in the Coffin of the Herd Immunity Argument
- Shots for School
Hello can you please supply the reference (with hyperlink) for your data. I love the chart, but a link to the data is necessary for credibility.