Any Hawaii resident can get vaccinated against the swine flu virus starting Monday, state health officials said yesterday.

People may contact their doctor or health clinic or call Aloha United Way's 2-1-1 hot line for more information. Vaccinations for the H1N1 virus, which has killed 11 people in Hawaii since June 2008, were initially limited to a select group due to a limited supply.

Free vaccinations will be available at the University of Hawaii-Manoa on Thursday and Brigham Young University-Hawaii next week.

“;With the start of the spring semester and students returning to Hawaii from all parts of the world, UH-Manoa must remain vigilant in keeping the virus at bay,”; UH-Manoa Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw said.

State health officials said children under 10 years of age need two H1N1 flu vaccinations to receive full protection from the virus and that those 10 years or older need one vaccination.

Officials said children under 10 who got their vaccination at school should go to their pediatrician or a community health center to get their second dose.

Vaccinations take about two weeks before providing protection, and during the two-week span, the person is still at risk of getting the flu, officials said.

The H1N1 influenza has killed 10,000 people and hospitalized 200,000 in the United States, the state said.

State Health Director Dr. Chiyome Fukino yesterday encouraged people to receive vaccinations for the seasonal and H1N1 flu.

Fukino said health officials are seeing average levels of flulike illnesses in Hawaii at this time, but historically, illness rates in the state tend to be at their highest in January, February and sometimes as late as March.

Young adults 18 to 24 years of age are particularly vulnerable to the H1N1 virus and are encouraged to protect themselves.

State epidemiologist Sarah Park said the state has a window of opportunity to get everyone vaccinated and avoid an additional wave of flu illness.

Park said the H1N1 virus is still spreading in rural parts of China and other areas of the world and may still pose a threat to Hawaii.

Park said some people may feel they can ride out the virus but don't realize how many other people they may place at risk.

“;Getting vaccinated helps protect your loved ones and the entire community,”; she said.

“;By getting vaccinated, you are protecting your ohana and all those you contact that may be vulnerable to complications from the flu.”;

With limited supplies of vaccine early in the campaign, the federal government set up priority groups to receive the vaccinations, including pregnant women, people ages 6 months to 24 years, health care or emergency care workers, anyone between 25 to 64 with underlying health conditions, and caregivers for infants under 6 months old.

A total of 48,304 students were vaccinated at school clinics.

Of the 11 who have died from the virus in Hawaii, one was a child under 5 years old with no underlying health conditions and some were in their 20s and 30s, state health spokeswoman Janice Okubo said.

“;This virus does seem to attack younger adults and children,”; Okubo said.

She said most of the deaths occurred on Oahu and two were on the Big Island.

William Gallo, an official for the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, warned the virus could come back stronger in a second wave, similar to the Spanish flu in 1918.

“;We really need to gear up in vaccination activity and brace ourselves for the potential next wave,”; he said.