Here are 12 stories from Becker's Clinical Leadership & Infection Control on influenza, which sickened an estimated 49 million Americans during the 2017-18 flu season, according to the CDC.
1. Only 37% of adults got flu shot last year, says CDC
Less than 40 percent of adults in the U.S. received a flu shot last year, marking the lowest vaccination rate since the 2010-11 flu season, according to CDC data released Oct. 25.
2. Flu cost employers $21B last season
Flu cost employers more than $21 billion in lost productivity during the 2017-18 flu season, according to an estimate from Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
3. Double-dose flu vaccine linked to higher antibody production in organ recipients, study finds
A double-dose flu vaccine could increase antibody production in organ recipients to help them better fight off the virus after a transplant, according to a study published in Vaccine.
4. More than half of US parents believe child can get flu from flu shot, Orlando Health survey finds
A large population of parents are skeptical of the flu shot's effectiveness and safety, according to a national survey conducted by Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children.
5. Flu shot cuts pregnant women's hospitalization risk by 40%, study finds
Pregnant women who receive a flu vaccine are 40 percent less likely to experience a flu-related hospitalization, according to a study published Oct. 11 inClinical Infectious Diseases.
6. Flu lasts longer in larger cities, experts say
The duration of a flu season and strain of flu virus responsible for infections vary based on a city's size and structure, according to a study published by Science.
7. More people intend to get flu shot than in 2016, survey finds
About 57 percent of Americans intend to receive a flu shot this year, compared to 51 percent of adults with the same intentions in 2016, according to a survey from CityMD.
8. High-dose vaccine protects seniors against flu-related hospitalization
A high-dose flu vaccine is more likely to prevent flu-related hospitalizations among seniors than standard-dose vaccines, according to a study published in Vaccine.
9. 63% of seniors plan to get flu vaccine, survey finds
Only 63 percent of Americans over age 60 intend to get a flu shot this season, according to survey results from Clover Health's annual Flu Shot Monitor survey.
10. Hospitals lead healthcare worker vaccinations, CDC says
About 92 percent of hospital workers reported receiving a flu vaccine during the 2017-18 flu season, compared to 75 percent of ambulatory care workers and 67 percent of long-term care workers, according to a surveyreleased Sept. 28 by the CDC.
11. Only half of pregnant women received flu shot last year, CDC reports
In the 2017-18 flu season, just half of pregnant women said they got a flu vaccine before or during their pregnancy, a CDC report found.
12. Clinic flu shot rates take a dive after daytime rush, study finds
Primary care clinics see a significant decline in influenza vaccinations as the day progresses, but "nudging" clinical staff to order vaccines may help curb this drop, a study published in JAMA Network Open found.