Hawaiʻi's Department of Health (DOH) has reported a significant increase in the number of students not up-to-date on required school immunizations. During the 2023-24 school year, 39,583 students, or about 21%, were missing immunization records, representing a 25% rise from the previous academic year. The figures include students with exemptions and those lacking proper documentation.
The delay in meeting vaccination requirements is largely attributed to 7th grade students. A DOH source revealed that while only 16% of kindergarteners were not up to date on their immunizations, a concerning 55% of seventh graders were behind. These figures are concerning, as they far exceed the herd immunity thresholds needed to prevent the spread of communicable diseases in schools. The DOH has expressed particular concern about the potential for pertussis and measles outbreaks.
Data from 382 schools for 2023-24 show that 282 schools, which represent close to 74%, have over 5% of their students not complying with the state's immunization laws, based on information released by the DOH. Notably, 36 schools reported more than half of their student populations were not current with vaccinations. Meanwhile, preliminary figures for the 2024-25 school year are suggesting a slight improvement, with 28,300 students identified as needing one or more shots, a situation which schools have until today to rectify and report.
Hawaiʻi offers two exemption options for vaccinations: medical and religious. The rate of religious exemptions has increased to 4.1% for the 2023-24 school year, up from 2.1% in the 2019-20 school year. Medical exemptions have remained relatively low, rising from 0.07% to 0.16% over the same period. This increase in exemptions reflects a broader trend of vaccine hesitancy observed nationwide following the COVID-19 pandemic, as noted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The DOH is collaborating with educational partners and healthcare providers to address these challenges and increase vaccination rates. These efforts include educating families about the importance of vaccines, improving access through pharmacies and medical practices, and updating the Hawaiʻi Immunization Registry for better data management. These initiatives aim to ensure that immunization schedules for the younger population remain on track to help prevent the spread of preventable diseases.
