It's the time of year to roll up your sleeve and feel the pinch, in hopes of warding off a nasty case of the flu.

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) will hold its first community flu clinic of the season in Kanata on Saturday, followed by numerous other opportunities to get the vaccine throughout the region in the weeks to come.

​"The best protection we have against the flu is the influenza vaccine," said Dr. Geneviève Cadieux, OPH's associate medical officer of health.

"It's important to get it early because it takes around two weeks to get immunity to the influenza virus," Cadieux said.

Targeting specific strains

Supplies of this year's flu vaccine are stored at Ottawa Public Health. (CBC News) As in past years, scientists have attempted to come up with just the right combination of ingredients to combat the flu virus, often with varying degrees of success.

This year's vaccine is designed to protect against influenza A(H3N2), influenza A(H1N1) and influenza B, according to Ottawa Public Health. The vaccine for children, who are more susceptible to the flu, has an additional influenza B strain.

Ottawa Public health confirms seven cases of flu have been reported already this season, compared to three this time last year.

Cadieux said it's too early to determine whether Ottawa will experience a tough flu season, but the "best guess" can be based on flu outbreaks in other parts of the world.

"What we've heard from Australia, they had a year with a lot of hospitalizations and fatalities, and they also had a lot of flu cases."

Flu symptoms, complications

The flu typically starts with high fever, headaches and muscle pain, progressing to a sore throat and cough, usually lasting around seven to 10 days. In severe cases the virus can lead to dangerous complications such as pneumonia, and can result in hospitalization or even death. The elderly and those already suffering from chronic health problems have a higher risk of suffering serious consequences from the flu.

Dr. Geneviève Cadieux of Ottawa Public Health says there's 'no crystal ball' to predict the severity of this year's flu season. (Sandra Abma/CBC) "It's important for you to get the flu shot so you can protect those people who are more at risk for complications," said Cadieux.

Public clinics

Saturday's clinic will be held at All Saints Catholic High School at 5115 Kanata Ave., from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Local pharmacies and family doctors are also giving out the flu shot.

Other OPH clinic hours and locations include: