Little Disease Vectors

60,842. That's the number of kindergarteners roaming the nation's schools without required vaccinations because of their parents' objections.

When kindergarteners start school in the fall, state laws require them to be vaccinated against a variety of potentially deadly and highly contagious diseases such as polio, measles, mumps, chickenpox, and whooping cough. Most get those vaccinations. Nationally, 94.8 percent of kindergarteners in the 2011-12 school year met the vaccination requirements. But 89,133 children were given exemptions. Some children receive medical exemptions, but most receive exemptions due to the religious or philosophical objections of their parents.

Source: CDC, Vaccination Coverage among Children in Kindergarten--United States, 2011-12 School Year