Record share of kindergartners missed required vaccines last year as Trump executive order takes aim at state mandates | CNN

A record share of kindergartners in the United States had an exemption for a required vaccination last school year, as the Trump administration continues to make moves to reduce the number of vaccinations recommended for children. An executive order signed by President Donald Trump last week aims to reshape the federal government’s approach to vaccines. The order offers recommendations to “give parents more information and options” — but the authority to set and enforce vaccine requirements still lies with states, and a growing share are utilizing existing policies that allow exemptions. The administration signaled that it will push states to rework their vaccine requirements to incorporate the new federal guidelines, effectively upending longstanding practices aimed at improving childhood immunization rates. It’s unclear exactly how officials plan to reinforce this, but the Department of Justice, the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services have been directed to tie compliance with federal funding. The new executive order emphasizes the administration’s aim to “maximize parental choices over vaccinations for their children,” specifica