it's created one of the worst outbreaks on record, new borns can't be vac nated last year 18 infaints died from this disease. erica edwards shows us how doctors are focusing on pregnant women to pass their immunity on to their babies. >> pregnant women will soon be asked to roll up their sleeves for a vaccine that doctors say will protect them and their newborn baby from one of the most contagious illnesses circulating right now. it's not the flu. it's whooping cough. >> there's a tremendous outbreak of whooping cough across the united states right now. the people and the children actually that's more susceptible to severe whooping cough are the children until 2 months of age. >> reporter: newborns can't get vac nated until they're two months old. it takes five doses. a government advisory panel is trying to have babies immunized at birth by vac nating their mothers in the last trimester of pregnancy. this doctor was part of the panel that developed the recommendation. >> by vac nating mother, mother will pass her immunity to the baby. when the baby is born, that baby will have protec

that risk was slightly decreased if they had been vac nated, but still got a milder or different strain of the flu. >> this is serious business. it's important for moms to get their flu shots. >> reporter: the flu also tends to hit the oldest members of society. while public health officials say overall flu cases are beginning to decrease, flu rates among the elderly have risen sharply. the latest data from the cdc show that flu cases remain widespread throughout the country. only hawaii, tennessee and washington, d.c. have been spared the brunt of the viral storm. erica edwards, nbc news. >>> and health officials expect to see more flu cases and deaths in the coming week, as the flu epidemic progresses. >>> the final countdown to the inauguration is on. here's a live look at the national mall. getting ready for that huge crowd that's expected to witness obama's swearing in, with only days before the second inauguration of president obama, house republicans have floated a new plan they say will extend the debt ceiling for three months, but also cut congressional paychecks if mr. obama a