We’re glad to share that the campaign to formally recognize Long COVID Awareness Day in Los Angeles has been successful.
Thanks to all who signed the petition, and to Clean Air LA for organizing this campaign – learn more in their press release:
Los Angeles to Recognize International Long Covid Awareness Day; City Hall to Be Illuminated in Teal
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LOS ANGELES, CA
February 25, 2026
The Los Angeles City Council will formally recognize March 15 as International Long Covid Awareness Day on February 24, 2026, with Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez (Council District 13) introducing the commendatory resolution and accompanying motion to illuminate City Hall in teal, the symbolic color of Long Covid.
By recognizing International Long Covid Awareness Day, Los Angeles joins the State of California and over 200 cities worldwide in observing March 15 to bring visibility to a condition that remains largely absent from civic planning, public discourse, and policy despite its prevalence.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 Household Pulse Survey, an estimated 268,000 adult residents of Los Angeles live with Long Covid. Of those, an estimated 214,000 report activity limitations, including approximately 64,000 reporting significant limitations.
Children are also affected. Estimates suggest one in five U.S. children may have Long Covid, and research shows risk can double after a second infection.
In a city as large as Los Angeles, impacts at this scale affect workforce participation, household stability, and demand for public services, shaping whether people can work, maintain income, secure housing, access services, meet basic needs, provide or receive care, and participate in civic and community life.
The resolution follows efforts by Los Angeles advocates Sara Johnson and Nicholas Rodelo for formal City recognition. They engaged a coalition of local and national organizations spanning public health, disability rights, research, and mutual aid to reflect broad support.
“Seeing City Hall lit up in teal from all across Los Angeles will be another step in rallying those affected by Long Covid and those who care about them to demand a proper policy response,” Rodelo said. He added, “this is just as important for the individuals that will develop Long Covid in the future.”
“Long Covid is not an invisible illness,” Johnson said, “it’s a massive crisis hiding in plain sight. By making it visible, LA decides that Long Covid won’t be ignored.”
Support for the motion is also reflected in a public petition hosted by the Los Angeles–based mutual aid organization Clean Air LA, which has gathered over 300 individual signatures and endorsements from organizations including Solve M.E., Long Covid Foundation, MaskTogetherAmerica, MEAction Network, World Health Network, Patient-Led Research Collaborative, and others.
“Long Covid can happen to anyone,“ said Paul Hennessy, local organizer with MaskTogetherAmerica who helped promote the petition. “I knew I had to speak up and act as a servant for those who were too sick to advocate for themselves.”
In a letter to the Los Angeles City Council, Solve M.E., a national nonprofit advancing research, policy, and public awareness for Long Covid and related conditions, expressed strong support for the action. “This simple but powerful act would affirm the City’s commitment to public health and help bring much-needed visibility to a growing health crisis,” wrote Emily Taylor, CEO & President of Solve M.E.
There is currently no known cure for Long Covid. Treatments are limited in both availability and effectiveness, and can be difficult and costly to access. People with Long Covid have largely shaped the medical understanding, research priorities, clinical response, and broader public awareness through direct advocacy and lived experience.
Continuing a tradition begun in 2025, Clean Air LA and partners will host a public gathering at Gloria Molina Grand Park in front of City Hall on March 15 to coincide with the City’s observance.
Since it was first established in 2023, International Long Covid Awareness Day has been observed worldwide by patients, municipalities, research institutions, and advocacy organizations. This resolution aligns Los Angeles with that growing global effort while formally acknowledging the impact of Long Covid on its residents.
Media Contact:
Nicholas Rodelo
[email protected]
626-636-1382
About Clean Air LA: Clean Air LA is a volunteer-run, community-funded mutual aid group in Los Angeles providing free access to clean air tools through an air purifier lending library, high-quality masks, awareness, and advocacy.