COVID-19 is having another summer moment. As of late August, the CDC estimates infections are growing or likely growing in 47 states, test positivity has climbed above 3% for the first time since March, and emergency-department visits for COVID are rising fastest in the West — which includes us here in Southern California. None of this is cause for alarm, but it is worth understanding, because the virus driving this wave looks and feels a little different than what many people remember. Here is what our clinical team wants Pasadena patients to know.
Meet the 2026 variants: “Stratus” and “Cicada”
Two names are behind most current cases:
- Stratus (XFG.1.1) — now the dominant strain in the U.S., accounting for roughly a quarter to 40% of recent cases. It is a recombinant variant (a hybrid of two earlier lineages) and spreads very efficiently — which is exactly why a wave can build in the middle of summer.
- Cicada (BA.3.2) — fueling around 15% of cases, this variant carries more than 70 mutations in its spike protein, helping it slip past immunity from older vaccinations and past infections.
Two reassuring points: neither variant appears to cause more severe illness than recent strains, and updated testing detects both. Contagious? Yes. More dangerous? The evidence so far says no.
COVID symptoms in 2026: the pattern has shifted
The classic early-pandemic picture — cough, fever, and that famous loss of taste and smell — has evolved. With the current variants, patients most often report:
- A severe, sharp sore throat — frequently the very first symptom, and often described as more intense than a typical cold’s scratchy throat
- Heavy congestion and sinus pressure, with a runny or blocked nose
- A persistent dry cough
- Fever, chills, fatigue, headache, and muscle or joint aches
- Sometimes hoarseness, nausea, or diarrhea
And the old telltale sign? Loss of taste or smell now occurs in fewer than 10% of confirmed cases — so its absence tells you nothing. In 2026, a “brutal sore throat plus congestion” illness is just as likely to be COVID as anything else, and the honest truth is that no one can reliably distinguish COVID from a summer cold, strep throat, or early flu by symptoms alone. That sharp sore throat could be any of the three — and each has a different treatment. A quick swab settles it.
When (and how) to test
Testing is most useful in these situations:
- You have symptoms — especially that severe sore throat, fever, or a new cough. We can test for COVID, strep, and flu in one visit and have answers while you wait.
- You were exposed and need to know before visiting someone frail, elderly, or immunocompromised.
- You are higher-risk (over 65, pregnant, immunocompromised, or living with lung, heart, kidney, or metabolic disease) — because a positive result early in the illness opens the door to treatment.
- An event, trip, or workplace requires it.
At Advanced Urgent Care of Pasadena we offer both rapid antigen tests (results in minutes; a home test works the same way) and PCR testing (more sensitive, catches earlier and lower-level infections) through our on-site laboratory. One practical tip from this wave: a single negative rapid test early in symptoms does not fully rule COVID out — if symptoms persist, retest in about 48 hours or get a PCR.
If you test positive
- Most people recover at home with rest, fluids, and fever reducers — the same supportive care as any respiratory virus.
- Higher-risk patients may qualify for antiviral treatment. Paxlovid works best when started within the first five days of symptoms; our providers can evaluate whether you meet criteria and prescribe it at their discretion — one more reason not to wait out day four before being seen.
- Stay home while sick. Current CDC guidance: remain home until you have been fever-free for 24 hours without medication and your symptoms are improving, then take added precautions (masking, distance) for the following five days.
When it’s the ER, not urgent care
Trouble breathing, chest pain or pressure, confusion, bluish lips, or inability to stay awake are emergency signs — call 911. For everything short of that, urgent care is faster and far less expensive; our ER vs. urgent care guide draws the line in detail.
The bottom line
A summer COVID wave is here, driven by the Stratus and Cicada variants; the signature 2026 symptom is a severe sore throat with congestion, taste and smell usually survive, and testing — not guessing — is how you tell COVID from strep, flu, and colds. Walk in any day: Monday–Friday 8 AM–8 PM, weekends 9 AM–5 PM (last patient 30 minutes prior to close), at 797 S Arroyo Pkwy with free parking — serving Pasadena, South Pasadena, Altadena, and Alhambra. Questions? Call (626) 304-0404.
Sources: CDC respiratory virus surveillance and epidemic trend estimates (August 2026); CDC variant proportion tracking for XFG.1.1 and BA.3.2; national reporting on the 2026 summer wave. Content reviewed by the Advanced Urgent Care of Pasadena clinical team.