Episode 5

The Frontline Against Fake News

Public Health Expert Dr. Jessica Steier Joins Episode 5 to Talk About Her Work on the Frontlines Battling A Different Sort of Pandemic: Fake News

March 4, 2021

The doctor is in! Public health scientist Dr. Jessica Steier, CEO of Vital Statistics Consulting and Co-Host of The Unbiased Science Podcast joins Zabeen Mirza to talk about her work on the frontlines of the pandemic fighting misinformation, dispelling fake news, educating the public on everything from mask wearing to hand washing to vaccines and herd immunity.

A mother of two children, Jess talks candidly about everything from women in science, the impact of the pandemic on mental health, the role of social media (hint: making things worse), the importance of trusting the experts, and of course, how you yourself can weed out fake news from the facts.

Episode Highlights:

Teachers deserve a billion dollars a week for the work they do. Minimum.
COVID has created a mental health crisis, especially in women.
Social media is a major contributor to the mental health crisis. Get off social media, even if just for a short period of time every day.
Trust the experts – we need to remember that they have studied, researched, and devoted their lives to their science.
Women in leadership positions need to stop apologizing. Own your position, even in the face of those who would doubt your capabilities, or look for the “man” who must be in charge instead of you.
Employers need to accommodate the mothers in their workforce – if for no other reason than the fact there is a real economic loss when mothers DON’T work: $64.5 billion dollars.
The pandemic has proven that remote, flexible, hybrid work is not only possible, but successful, and even more profitable than could have been anticipated. There is NO excuse to not offer this permanently going forward, especially to the mothers in the workforce.
It’s important to understand the difference between “fake news” and real news. Misinformation abounds online, especiall on social media platforms. It’s critical to drown out the noise, look to the experts and trust their guidance.
Just because guidance from an expert changes, doesn’t mean the expert is not credible. That’s how research works, that’s how science works. You learn, evolve, and improve recommendations as better, newer information becomes available.
GET THE COVID VACCINE. It is SAFE. It is EFFECTIVE. It is TESTED. And it is NOT part of some larger mind-control government conspiracy. We promise you.

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Dr. Jessica Steier

Public Health Scientist

Meet the Guest

Jessica Steier is co-founder and CEO of Vital Statistics Consulting and the Co-Host of The Unbiased Science Pordcast. In this role, she oversees all operations, project management, quality assurance, data analytics, and deliverables for the firm. She has designed and executed dozens of clinical research projects and evaluations of QI interventions at hospitals, designed data-driven interventions to improve health outcomes and population health, and conducted evidence translation and value communication for private industry clients. Dr. Steier received her Master of Public Health (Evaluative Sciences) at SUNY-Stony Brook University and her Doctor of Public Health degree from the Graduate Center at the City University of New York (CUNY). Though originally from Brooklyn, NY, Jessica currently lives in Jupiter, Florida with her husband and two young children, Dylan (4) and Sophia (3). She is an avid animal lover and supporter of local rescue organizations and has adopted a dog and three cats of her own.