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America’s Vaccine Skepticism Is Starting to Show up in Health Data

New research tracking 12.4 million newborns shows the hepatitis B birth‑dose vaccination rate dropping from 83.5 % in 2023 to 73.2 % by mid‑2025, meaning roughly 400,000 infants each year are refusing or delaying the shot. The decline coincides with the CDC’s January decision to shift hepatitis B and five other vaccines from universal recommendation to shared clinical decision‑making. Politicized vaccine skepticism, amplified by the COVID‑19 era and recent leadership changes, is driving the trend. States are already splitting along party lines, with many Democratic‑led states maintaining the universal schedule while Republican‑led states follow the new CDC guidance.