A slight decline in vaccination coverage among children entering kindergarten is not a reason for alarm, according to Dr. Robert Malone, former vice chair of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

Recent data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that kindergarten vaccination rates edged lower during the school year spanning 2025 and 2026. The agency released the figures on Monday.

According to the CDC data, vaccination coverage among children entering kindergarten declined by 0.1%. The report also showed an increase in parents claiming vaccine exemptions for their children.

Malone told Fox News Digital that the figures did not point to a significant cause for concern. He emphasized that overall compliance among children entering kindergarten remained high despite the slight decline.

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"Those are the facts," he continued, "and they are not particularly alarming."

"Even by the CDC's own report, we still maintain a very high rate of compliance among kindergartners," he added.

Malone also challenged the way some media organizations presented the findings. He argued that the available data did not support a sweeping narrative that parents were broadly turning against vaccination.

"The narrative that this represents a clear and compelling signal of parents becoming disaffected with vaccination... whoever's promoting that kind of messaging, it's not in the data," he added.

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Malone specifically pointed to coverage from CNBC that mentioned an ongoing measles outbreak in the United States. However, he said the broader international context was important when considering that outbreak.

"Media outlets like CNBC have highlighted that we are in the middle of a historic measles outbreak. However, context is critical: this outbreak is not restricted to the United States. It is occurring worldwide, including in Canada and across many nations that have not experienced this level of vaccine controversy or hesitancy," he told Fox News Digital.

At the same time, Malone said vaccination remains the strongest protection against contracting measles. He distinguished that point from the question of whether the latest kindergarten data represented a major danger.

"Regarding the overall picture: measles cases are on the rise globally, and vaccination remains the most effective protection against infection. However, does this new kindergarten data represent a major threat? Absolutely not," he stated to Fox News Digital.

Malone was a vocal critic of vaccine mandates during the pandemic. While dismissing the idea that the latest decline warranted panic, he acknowledged that the figures could indicate growing skepticism within a small segment of the population.

"Does it represent a potential signal that a certain part of the population, very small, is growing in its skepticism of the benefits of childhood vaccination? I would say, yeah, that is that signal," he told Fox News Digital.

He linked some of that skepticism to declining trust in the scientific establishment. Even so, he maintained that vaccination rates remained robust and that the new data should be viewed in proportion.

Malone also pointed to what he described as failures in government communication during the pandemic. He referenced recent Tony Fauci hearings and disclosures from the Senate while discussing the public's trust.

"I think we can all agree [there were] failures in accurate communication by the government during COVID. And certainly they're highlighted in the recent Tony Fauci hearings and the various disclosures coming out of the Senate," Malone told Fox News Digital.

The former ACIP vice chair also noted controversy involving a hypothesized connection between childhood vaccine schedules and autism. Despite that controversy, he said kindergarten vaccination uptake has remained consistently strong.

His assessment centered on the limited size of the decline and the continued high level of vaccination coverage. Although he recognized a possible signal of increased skepticism among a very small group, he rejected the idea that the data showed a major threat.

"The takeaway is simple: keep calm and carry on. There is nothing in this data to panic about," Malone concluded.