# @nbcnews on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DO1A0PGjBlQ
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/34720054-nbcnews-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/a5b3e73a2e.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-09-20T15:01:08.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** NBC News (@NBCNews) — https://gondola.cc/NBCNews

## Caption

The “Gateway to the West” — home to some of the country's most influential vaccine research and development institutes, including the Washington University School of Medicine — may be quickly losing its ability to prevent infectious diseases.

The story of St. Louis is emblematic of the nation’s immunization declines. A combination of rising exemptions, difficulties accessing health care services, and anti-vaccine messages fueled by social media and, more recently, the federal government, has laid a path for preventable diseases to explode in the U.S. 

The vast majority of counties across the United States are experiencing declining rates of vaccination and have been for years, according to an NBC News investigation, the most comprehensive analysis of vaccinations and school exemptions to date. 

In 2010, almost 90% of kindergartners attending school within the St. Louis city limits had their recommended measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) shots, which prevent nearly all cases of measles – the most contagious virus known in the world. Last school year, MMR coverage rates among kindergartners plummeted to 74%.

That's below even Gaines County, Texas, the epicenter of the 2025 measles outbreak, where 77% of kids were vaccinated last school year. That puts St. Louis at high risk of a surge of the virus, which tore through largely unvaccinated communities in West Texas. The outbreak killed three people, including two young girls.

"We're just in a waiting phase before measles comes and rocks the state of Missouri," said Virginia Wilson, head nurse at the Premier Charter School in St. Louis.

Read more at the link in bio.

📷️ @bryanbirks for @nbcnews

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## Credits

These are the roles credited on Gondola. Credits may be incomplete.
A brand, account owner, or featured person is not necessarily the creator.

| Name | Username | Profile | Role |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| NBC News | @NBCNews | https://gondola.cc/NBCNews | Television News Network |
| Cela Migan | @celamigan | https://gondola.cc/celamigan | Social Media Manager |

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