UCLA epidemiologist urges Los Angeles to form Olympic public‑health task force ahead of 2028

Dr. Anne Rimoin, a professor of epidemiology and director of the UCLA Center for Global and Immigrant Health, told the Los Angeles City Health Commission on July 14 that the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games present a ‘‘public‑health stress test’’ and urged the city and county to form a permanent, cross‑sector Olympic Public Health Preparedness Task Force.

Rimoin said the city must move from ‘‘business as usual’’ preparedness to a proactive blueprint that leverages academic partners, strengthens surveillance and positions diagnostics and prevention infrastructure at venues and athlete housing. "The time to plan is now," she said, adding, "This is the moment for LA to shine, not just in the stadiums, but in every neighborhood, clinic, and community."

Why it matters: mass gatherings concentrate visitors from around the world, raising the risk of introducing and amplifying infectious diseases. Rimoin pointed to past events where outbreaks disrupted competitions and strained public‑health systems — Zika concerns ahead of Rio 2016, a norovirus outbreak at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics that sickened hundreds of staff, and COVID‑19 impacts at the Tokyo Games — arguing Los Angeles can avert similar outcomes with early, coordinated action.

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