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IAIN MCGREGOR/Fairfax NZ

SHARP SCRATCH NOW: Melanie Williams gives Courtenay King a flu vaccination.

Will you get a flu jab this year?

As New Zealand prepares for its second bout of the killer flu strain circling the world, health experts are warning of the potential for major problems in Christchurch and urging Cantabrians to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Last year, Canterbury was hit by a deadly influenza H3N2 virus that landed 347 people in hospital - four times the national rate.

The flu strain then hit the United States, where hundreds of people have died from influenza-associated illnesses, including 105 children.

The influenza vaccination programme started in schools last week. It is free for Cantabrians under18, and the region's health sector is pushing for people to get immunised.

Pegasus Health chief executive Vince Barry feared stressed Cantabrians could be more susceptible than other Kiwis.

"People are tired and if we have a bad winter and if we don't have the right inoculation, there is the potential for major problems ... The perfect storm could be brewing," he said.

Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) clinical virologistLance Jennings said it was likely the influenza A (H3N2) strain would hit New Zealand shores again this winter.

The rest is here:
Jabs urged for a flu-fighting chance