María José Sierra
María José Sierra | |
|---|---|
María José Sierra in April 2020 | |
| Born | 1968 (age 56–57) Zaragoza, Spain |
| Alma mater | University of Zaragoza Autonomous University of Madrid |
| Known for | Her role as temporarily spokesperson for the Ministry of Health during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Public health and epidemiology |
| Institutions | Coordination Centre for Health Alerts and Emergencies |
María José Sierra Moros (born 1968) is a Spanish doctor specialising in preventive medicine, public health and epidemiology. She is the deputy director of the Coordination Centre for Health Alerts and Emergencies of the Spanish Ministry of Health since 2024.
In late March 2020, following Fernando Simón's positive COVID-19 test result, she took over as technical spokesperson for the Ministry of Health during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain.
Early life and education
Sierra was born in 1968 in Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain.[1] She studied medicine at the University of Zaragoza and after passing the professional examination, she moved to Madrid.[1]
She obtained her PhD from the Autonomous University of Madrid in 2000 with a thesis entitled Homocysteine, folate, vitamin B6 and B12 as risk factors in cerebrovascular disease: a case-control study.[2]
Career
She is a career civil servant in the National Health Service Medical Corps, and in 2001 Sierra was appointed head of section in the Directorate-General for Public Health and Consumer Affairs within the Deputy Directorate-General for Health Promotion and Epidemiology.[3]
She is an expert in epidemics and contagious diseases, having published works on the 2015–16 Zika virus epidemic in America, the circulation of the West Nile virus in Spain, dengue fever, the epidemiological situation of Leishmania infantum and Influenza A virus.[1][4][5][3]
In 2016, after the first two cases of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever were detected in Spain and Western Europe, Sierra was appointed to the committee of experts set up by the Ministry of Health.[3][5][4][6] She is also part of the Spanish Network of Microbiology Laboratories.[5][4][3]
In late March 2020, following Fernando Simón's positive COVID-19 test result, which Sierra herself informed, she took over as technical spokesperson for the Ministry of Health during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain.[5][4][3] She did so as Head of Area of the Coordination Centre for Health Alerts and Emergencies.[1] That day, she reported 85,195 infected and 7,340 deaths, and a change in trend after two weeks of strict lockdown.[7] Her appearances on Spanish television at press conference were regular during the pandemic.[8]
Sierra was appointed deputy director of the Coordination Centre for Health Alerts and Emergencies in November 2024.[9]
References
- ^ a b c d Zorraquín, Jorge (30 March 2020). "La zaragozana María José Sierra Moros toma el testigo de Fernando Simón como portavoz técnica en la crisis de coronavirus". Heraldo de Aragón. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
- ^ "María José Sierra Moros". University of La Rioja. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Hernández, Nuria (30 March 2020). "María José Sierra, la sustituta de Fernando Simón al frente de la crisis del coronavirus". Vanity Fair in Spanish. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Quién es María José Sierra, la sustituta de Fernando Simón". Diario AS. 30 March 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ a b c d Hernández, Clara (30 March 2020). "Coronavirus: ¿Quién es María José Sierra, la sustituta de Fernando Simón?". Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ "Madrid y Ministerio eligen 11 expertos para afrontar la fiebre Crimea-Congo". Redacción Médica. 2 September 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ "María José Sierra: "Hay un cambio de tendencia, pero somos cautelosos"". Diario AS. 30 March 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ Merino, Patricia (22 March 2021). "María José Sierra alerta de una clara tendencia ascendente de casos Covid-19". Con Salud. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ Blanco, Sergio (29 November 2024). "María José Sierra, nueva subdirectora del Centro de Coordinación de Alertas y Emergencias Sanitarias". Con Salud. Retrieved 10 October 2025.