The CDC says fewer adults were vaccinated last season

Adults' adult vaccination coverage is estimated to show that 37.1% of Americans aged 18 and over were vaccinated against influenza last season, down 6.2% from the previous season .

Immunization coverage for the 2017-18 influenza season – when more than 80,000 people died from flu in the United States and 900,000 were hospitalized – was the lowest of the seven influenza seasons, the CDC said.

"It is important that providers give priority to influenza vaccination for their patients," the CDC said in a statement.

Florida and New York City both reported their first pediatric deaths during the influenza season, which usually peaks between December and February.

Dr. Paul Auwaerter, clinical director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said diving could play a role in the severity of the last influenza season.

"No doubt that if people receive less immunization against the flu, it has played a role," said Auwaerter. "But it is also true that the vaccine was not as well adapted to the strains that circulated."

Federal health officials have urged Americans to get vaccinated as the flu season accelerates. At a press conference last month, general surgeon Jerome Adams urged more Americans to get the flu shot. "The immunity of the flock is so very important," he said.

The CDC recommends that all persons 6 months of age and older be vaccinated against the flu or nose. On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration approved a single-dose anti-flu drug for people aged 12 and older who have not had the flu more than 48 hours.

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Auwaerter said that many people do not get vaccinated against the flu because they feel they do not need it, or because of misconceptions such as the flu vaccine will give you the flu. But he notes that the vaccine will help people avoid other complications if they contract the flu.

"It's really important for people to know that everyone can get the flu, and influenza vaccination is the best way to protect yourself from terrible consequences," he said.