Connecticut is one of only 10 states in the nation to achieve vaccination rates high enough to protect young students and their families against measles.
That’s according to the Connecticut Department of Health (DPH), which shared data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday to celebrate the public health accomplishment.
The CDC reported Connecticut has the highest measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine rates among incoming kindergarten students for the previous 2024-25 school year in the country, at 98.2%. A vaccination rate of 95% is necessary to achieve herd immunity, which means that enough people are protected against infection that it becomes very difficult for the disease to spread.
Connecticut bucked the national trend last year, which saw rates for all vaccines fall. Rates for the MMR vaccine fell to 92.5%, down slightly from the year before. Meanwhile, MMR vaccination rates increased by 0.5% in the state.
Connecticut also saw the number of non-medical exemptions fall slightly last year, from 0.5% to 0.4%, while nationally the number rose by 0.3%. The state eliminated religious exemptions from mandatory school vaccination requirements in 2021 during the height of the pandemic.
“Staying up to date on routine vaccines, particularly as we head into back-to-school season, is crucial for protecting children from preventable diseases and maintaining community-level immunity,” said DPH Commissioner Manisha Juthani. “The proximity of students and highly touched surfaces contribute to the rapid spread of germs and increased risk of illness among students, staff, and their families.”
Additionally, Juthani said vaccines reduce missed school days due to illness, allowing students to stay on track with their education.
“Our high vaccination rates have helped Connecticut remain one of 10 states that has not had a case of measles yet as cases continue to accumulate around the country,” she said.
State Department of Education Commissioner Charlene M. Russell Tucker echoed the importance of keeping students in school.
“School attendance is foundational to learning and academic success, and staying healthy supports consistent attendance and ability to learn,” she said. “As families prepare for the new school year, we encourage them to consult their child’s primary care provider to confirm immunizations are up to date and to schedule appointments, if necessary, prior to the start of school—helping sustain regular attendance from day one and strengthen healthy learning environments for all students.”
Gov. Ned Lamont praised parents across the state for their efforts.
“It’s encouraging that so many parents in Connecticut are listening to medical advice from their doctors and getting their children vaccinated for measles, mumps, and rubella,” he said. “These vaccinations have been proven to be safe for many decades and are responsible for preventing the spread of life-threatening illnesses. Let’s keep Connecticut healthy by getting vaccinated and stopping the spread of these diseases.”
According to data from the CDC, Connecticut had no active measles cases as of July 29. Nationally, there are 1,333 confirmed cases of measles in 40 jurisdictions, including states bordering Connecticut, such as Rhode Island, New York, and New Jersey. Some 13% of all cases have led to hospitalizations, and there have been three deaths.
With five months left in the year, the nation has already seen almost five times as many confirmed measles cases as in all of 2024, which had 285 confirmed cases. There have also been nearly twice as many outbreaks, defined as three or more related cases, in 2025 at 29 confirmed outbreaks. This compares to the year 2000, when measles was declared officially eliminated in the United States because there had been no outbreaks in 12 consecutive months.