Health officials encourage public to get flu vaccine

With flu season looming, federal health officials are pushing for everyone who can get a flu vaccine to do so. One group they're particularly focused on: pregnant women. A new report finds that only half of women reported receiving a flu vaccine before or during their pregnancy in the 2017-2018 season. Women who said a provider offered them a flu vaccine were more likely to get one. The report also found that just over 54 percent of pregnant women received a vaccine for tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis, which is also recommended.

Last year's flu season was particularly deadly: New data released this week by the CDC show that flu led to 900,000 hospitalizations and 80,000 deaths last year.