COVID Explained: Making Sense of Information

While scientists and researchers worked relentlessly throughout 2020 to understand and respond to COVID-19 effectively, the general public at times had to navigate an avalanche of information that seemed to change with the pandemic.Today, public health experts know more about COVID-19 than they did in March and April, but they now  have to contend with misinformation hitting social media platforms too. We know masks work. We know that K-12 schools aren’t major spreaders of COVID-19. And we have a good understanding of how the disease spreads. But these statements were met with discord in the first half of the year.In this episode, Emily Oster, a professor economics at Brown University, an economist and author, discusses what she has observed throughout the pandemic. She also sheds light on some of the more nuanced concerns and questions people have about COVID-19. Earlier this year, Oster joined a team of medical experts and data scientists to support an online hub called COVID Explained, where visitors can find ‘no non-sense’ guidance and information about COVID-19. Join Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Phillip Chan for another exciting episode featuring a nationally recognized author who decided to use her talents to help address the ongoing pandemic.