Simply turn up at a North Coast Area Health Service swine flu clinic during the next fortnight and you can protect yourself against the virus with a quick jab.

About 25 people did just that on the first two days of the program.

Almost 16,000 people have died worldwide after contracting swine flu, including 191 in Australia.

Last winter, more than 70 people on the north coast were hospitalised after contracting swine flu. Two of them died.

Registered nurse Jo-Anne Cooper encouraged people to be vaccinated against swine flu.

Another wave of the virus could be just around the corner.

Ms Cooper said, as people were travelling more, there was a greater risk of them developing the swine flu.

Health authorities say it is particularly important for people at increased risk of severe illness from influenza, and those who care for them, to be vaccinated.

This includes young children, pregnant women, people who are obese and those with chronic medical conditions.

Aboriginal people also may be at increased risk of severe illness.

The clinic will be at Port Macquarie Community Health in Morton St and Wauchope District Memorial Hospital in High St today, followed by Port Macquarie Base Hospital’s Express Community Care Centre on Monday and Friday, and Wauchope District Memorial Hospital on Wednesday and Friday.

The clinic then heads north to Kempsey and South West Rocks.

It then returns to Wauchope District Memorial Hospital for the final day of the program on March 26.

No appointment is necessary.