The Pasadena Public Health Department is urging everyone 6 months of age and older to get the 2026-27 COVID-19 vaccine as the virus spreads more widely in California this season, the city said in a news release Wednesday, Sept. 2.
Hospitalizations remain low, the department said, but the share of tests coming back positive has reached a moderate level, and virus concentrations in wastewater are running higher in several parts of the state. The number of cases is lower than at this point last year, with the biggest increases among children ages 0 to 4 and 5 to 17, the department said.
“COVID-19 can still cause serious illness; especially in infants, pregnant people, older adults and individuals with weakened immune systems or certain medical conditions,” said Dr. Parveen Kaur, the city’s health officer, in the release. “Getting vaccinated is one of the best ways to protect yourself from severe illness. If you are at higher risk and develop COVID-19 symptoms, get tested as soon as possible and contact your health care provider.”
People at higher risk, including adults 65 and older and those with weakened immune systems, should receive two doses of the 2026-27 vaccine spaced six months apart, the department said.
The city’s advice mirrors guidance the California Department of Public Health issued Aug. 25, which said COVID-19 infections are increasing across the state and that all Californians 6 months and older should be protected with the vaccine. Summer and fall increases have occurred every year since 2020, and the past two years have brought higher peaks in late summer than in winter, the state department said.
“As COVID-19 activity rises each summer, and our kids are getting back to school, getting vaccinated is one of the strongest ways we can protect our families and keep our communities thriving,” Dr. Erica Pan, the state department’s director and state public health officer, said in that announcement.
The updated vaccines began shipping after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved 2026-27 formulas from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Novavax on Aug. 27. The federal approvals are narrower than the state’s recommendation. The new labels cover adults 65 and older and younger people with at least one underlying condition that raises their risk of severe COVID-19, with the youngest covered age varying by product. California health officials, who have issued their own vaccine guidance in coordination with other West Coast states through the West Coast Health Alliance since 2025, recommend the vaccine for everyone 6 months and older.
The state department said the vaccines will be covered for most people through their health insurance plans, including Medi-Cal, and that appointments can be scheduled at https://www.google.com/url?q=
Residents who test positive may benefit from oral antiviral medications such as Paxlovid, which can help prevent severe illness when started soon after symptoms begin, typically within five days, the Pasadena department said. It advised residents to ask a health care provider whether antiviral treatment is right for them.
The department also recommended everyday precautions: washing hands often, staying home when sick, covering coughs and sneezes, and considering a well-fitting mask in crowded indoor spaces or around people at higher risk of severe illness.
Vaccine appointments are available through medical providers, local pharmacies and community health centers, the department said. More information on COVID-19 vaccines and prevention is available from the California Department of Public Health at https://www.google.com/url?q=
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