With the colder temps come flu season and the need to get your influenza vaccination.

Each year the World Health Organization studies what flu strains are most likely to be out there, and create a vaccine accordingly.

Medical Health Officer for the Five Hills Health Region, Dr. Mark Vooght, talked about this year's version.

"This year, what we have in the vaccine, is call quadrivalent. It's got 4 different types of influenza strains in it. Two A strains and two B strains in it."

Vooght says that they have a very high success rate of choosing which strains will be common each flu season, also adding that typically the A strains are encountered in the first part of the season, with the B stains coming later.

He talked about what the vaccine does in your body.

"Vaccinating a person with a specific antigen, in this case influenza, we simulate an influenza infection. And the bodies response to that is great, because it produces protective antibodies."

Those antibodies can protect a person from getting the full blown flu for up to 6 months after receiving the vaccine.

While everyone, ages 6 months and up, are encouraged to get the flu vaccine each year, Vooght talked about those that are more at risk.

"Young children, under the age of 5 especially. Pregnant women, because they can get a very severe form of influenza with severe pneumonia, which can hurt the mother as well as the developing fetus. Another is seniors, ages 65 years and above. And the last category would be health care workers. People who provide care in our hospitals, clinics, and long term care facilities. It's very important for them to be vaccinated against influenza."

Shelly Kittler is a public health nurse and coordinator of the flu vaccination program. She talked about what you can expect when you go in for a flu shot.

"We usually just review what they would be receiving, what it was for. The side effects from the vaccine and if they have any questions or concerns. And at that point in time it would be up to them to decided if they were wanting to receive it. And then we would administer the immunization."

There will be several different clinics held around the area, with one large clinic at the Town N Country Mall in Moose Jaw on November 1st through the 4th. To find out when when a clinic near you is being held, check out the FHHR web page at www.fhhr.ca.