Amid ongoing federal and state attempts to limit access to vaccines or loosen vaccination requirements, data shows that Alabama has fallen below national averages for children being up to date on some vaccines.
The state is trailing the country for uptake of vaccines for whooping cough and hepatitis B, while immunization rates against measles have swung above and below rates that experts consider necessary to attain herd immunity.
The vaccination rate for children ages 13-17 nationwide remained high in 2024, but it drops significantly in Alabama as children age. Where about 70% of 4-10-year-olds are up to date on vaccines statewide, only 25% of people 11-18 years old are up to date.
Experts say misinformation and struggles to access medical care around the state are playing a role.
“There were several insurance companies that didn’t even cover routine immunizations,” Dr. Norma Mobley, a Mobile, Alabama-based pediatrician, said.