Why Subscribe?

Force of Infection is a newsletter that helps you stay ahead of what's going around—outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics. When you're immunocompromised, managing chronic health conditions, or simply can't afford to get sick, you need intelligence, not just headlines. Join 42,000+ readers in all 50 states who rely on my newsletter for actionable information to make informed decisions about your health and wellness.

Why Readers Stay

Paid subscribers trust Force of Infection with an 85% annual retention rate—well above industry average—because they find my reports to be accurate, helpful and truthworthy. Readers in all 50 states have generated over 5 million page views, demonstrating the hunger for analyses you can use to stay well.

Since 2022, I've published hundreds of newsletters, building a track record of reliability no matter what's happening in the news cycle. Major outlets including NPR, Washington Post, Atlantic, Vox, and STAT News have cited my deep-dive essays, while my early warnings about the tripledemic and norovirus surge reached readers months before mainstream coverage.

What You Get

Who Am I?

My name is Dr. Caitlin Rivers. I’m an epidemiologist and associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where I direct the Center for Outbreak Response Innovation. I have a PhD in epidemiology and an MPH in infectious diseases.

My work focuses on the policies and practices needed to improve outbreak response and pandemic preparedness. I’ve had multiple roles in the Federal government, including at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention where I helped to found the Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics.

I also like to write. I’ve written for the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Nature, and more. My first book, Crisis Averted: The Hidden Science of Fighting Outbreaks was published by Viking in 2024.