The annual school flu vaccination clinics have gotten under way in Hawaii.

The state Department of Health says Protect Hawaii’s Keiki: Stop Flu at School began at 15 schools today, and will continue through Dec. 2.

The department says the vaccine is the best protection against the flu, and Hawaii’s youth are a high-risk priority group.

Officials say the program will be administering about 80,000 free flu vaccinations this year to 331 participating public, private and charter school students, faculty and staff. That’s about the same level of participation as last year.

This year’s vaccine includes the 2009 H1N1 flu strain, as well as two other flu strains.