Pasadena Health Officials Urge Flu Vaccination as Cases Rise Nationwide

L.A. County Health Department encourages residents to plan and prepare for this winter’s respiratory virus season (Photo – Andrea Piacquadio)

With flu cases and hospital admissions on the rise across the U.S., the Pasadena Public Health Department (PPHD) is urging the community to get vaccinated against the flu, especially in light of a new strain of the virus making its way across the globe.

By News Desk

Health officials are particularly concerned about Influenza A (H3N2) subclade K, which has been detected in California and is responsible for the majority of flu cases in the state.

Dr. Parveen Kaur, Acting Health Officer at PPHD, emphasized the importance of taking proactive measures to stay healthy: “Getting vaccinated and quickly starting treatment if you are sick are the best ways to avoid serious illness and hospital stays.”

The flu vaccine for the 2025-26 season remains an effective defense against severe illness caused by the virus. PPHD encourages everyone aged 6 months and older who has not yet received the flu shot to do so as soon as possible. “It’s not too late to get vaccinated,” said Dr. Kaur, noting that vaccines help reduce the risk of hospitalization even if someone does catch the flu.

As flu cases climb, particularly with the H3N2 strain spreading rapidly, health experts urge residents to take swift action if they experience symptoms such as fever, cough, or sore throat. If you do get sick, the health department recommends the following steps:

• Get tested as soon as possible if you have flu-like symptoms.
• If you are at high risk for severe illness, contact your healthcare provider immediately and consider starting antiviral medications like oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or baloxavir, which can speed recovery and reduce the risk of complications.
• Stay home if you are sick until you have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication to help prevent spreading the virus to others.

Manuel Carmona, Director of Public Health, stressed the importance of taking these preventive measures: “As flu cases rise, we encourage everyone to get vaccinated and seek care as soon as possible if you are feeling sick. These steps can help keep you and our community healthy.”