During National Immunization Awareness Month in August, the California Department of Public Health is highlighting the importance of routine vaccines as students return to school.

Vaccination prevents the spread of serious illnesses, reduces hospitalizations, saves lives and helps keep kids in school and doing the activities they love.

While California’s immunization rates for kindergarten students remain higher than the national average, CDPH wants to keep rates high and continue to protect California children and communities from vaccine-preventable diseases. CDPH recommends families stay up to date on all vaccinations for the new school year.

“When our youngest Californians are healthy and able to participate in learning and doing the things they love, the future of California is brighter,” said Dr. Erica Pan, CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer. “As a parent and a pediatrician, I am grateful for and confident in the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, which have transformed the leading causes of childhood deaths away from infectious diseases. CDPH remains committed to ensuring all California families have access to safe and effective vaccines and the information they need to understand that vaccine recommendations are based on credible, transparent, and science-based evidence.”

Due to large outbreaks in other states, the number of measles cases in the U.S. as of July 2025 are already higher than any year since 2000, when the World Health Organization declared the disease eliminated in the United States due to vaccination. Over 90% of this year’s cases were not vaccinated, and more than 1 in 10 of those infected with measles were hospitalized, some in intensive care units. Three people have died this year from this entirely preventable disease, reminding us of the importance of immunization.

California continues to report more than 95% coverage among kindergarteners for the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. While the state has maintained the level of vaccination necessary to prevent community spread for nearly a decade, it remains critical that our children and communities stay protected through continued vaccination.

Required Immunizations: California law requires students to receive age-specific immunizations to attend public and private schools and licensed childcare centers. Schools and licensed childcare centers are required to enforce immunization requirements, maintain immunization records of all children enrolled and report children’s immunization status to CDPH.

Families can visit CDPH’s Shots for School and Don’t Wait, Vaccinate! webpages for information on immunization laws and required vaccinations for students in California.

Resources for Families: CDPH encourages families to seek reliable information to learn more about vaccines, including visiting the CDPH Vaccine Facts webpage. Families can also speak to their health care providers or contact local health providers for help in finding a place to get immunized. Most health plans cover recommended vaccinations with no out-of-pocket costs. Children without insurance coverage qualify for the Vaccines for Children Program, which provides no-cost vaccines for eligible children.