DC Health Showcases New Series on Data Storytelling Highlighting Immunization Coverage Improvements

(WASHINGTON, DC) – DC Health has released a new edition of its ThruLines data brief series examining childhood immunization coverage in the District of Columbia (PDF). The brief highlights improvements in vaccination rates among school-aged children and underscores the importance of maintaining high immunization coverage to prevent outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.

ThruLines is a DC Health data brief series that shares insights from local data to inform the public and support evidence-based policies and programs that improve health in the District.

The report finds that infants and school-aged children in the District are protected against sustained outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases due to strong access to vaccines, improvements in the District’s immunization data systems, and enforcement of school vaccination requirements. However, immunization coverage is lower in some areas than others, leaving some subgroups at risk for vaccine-preventable diseases.

"Our data tells a clear story: when systems work and requirements hold, DC children are protected," said Dr. Ayanna Bennett, Director at DC Health. "Improved access, stronger systems, and sustained vaccination requirements are keeping our youngest residents safe from preventable outbreaks. The ThruLines series will ensure stories like this one inform the decisions we make."

Immunization Coverage Among School-Aged Children Has Increased

Data from the District of Columbia Immunization Information System (DOCIIS) show significant gains in measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination coverage among kindergarten students. In the 2020–2021 school year, the database showed that only 79% of kindergarteners were fully vaccinated with two doses of the MMR vaccine. Following improvements to the immunization database and stronger enforcement of school vaccination requirements, coverage increased to 93% in the 2024–2025 school year, matching the national average.

Coverage Varies Across the District

While overall vaccination rates have improved, the brief notes variation across communities. In 2025, 86 percent of 5-year-old children in the District had received two doses of the MMR vaccine, though coverage was lower in Ward 2 (80%) and among Black/African American children (84%).

Vaccination coverage of kindergartners was highest in public and public charter schools (93% – 94%) and lower in parochial and private schools (81% – 84%). Differences may be related to students receiving care outside the District or incomplete reporting to DOCIIS, but they also highlight the importance of consistent enforcement of school immunization requirements.

Vaccination Rates Among Young Children Remain Strong

According to the National Immunization Survey, vaccination coverage among young children in the District remains comparable to national averages. Among children born in 2021:

• 77% received the hepatitis B vaccine within two days of birth and 91% within two weeks of birth
• 88% received their first dose of the MMR vaccine by 13 months of age
• 74% percent completed the recommended primary vaccine series by 24 months

Continuing Efforts to Protect Children

Recent outbreaks of diseases such as measles and pertussis (Whooping Cough) in other states highlight the importance of maintaining high immunization coverage.

DC Health will continue working with healthcare providers, schools, policymakers, and families to promote timely childhood vaccinations, strengthen data systems, and ensure school vaccination requirements are enforced.