This summer marks Force of Infection's fourth anniversary. I started this publication after returning from a stint at CDC. It began as a way to reflect on emerging infectious disease outbreaks, but I quickly learned that readers wanted news they can use about viruses that keep us out of work and school. Thus Outbreak Outlook was born, bringing weekly reports on flu, Covid-19, and RSV to your inbox year-round. I've published some 600 editions to over 47,000 readers, through data blackouts, holiday seasons, and an ever-changing political landscape.
This year has brought two big changes. Force of Infection moved off Substack and onto forceofinfection.com. It was a leap of faith to move away from a platform with a ready audience, but independence from the algorithm was worth it.
I also launched FOI Clinical, a publication for clinicians and public health practitioners. Whereas Force of Infection focuses on everyday viruses, FOI Clinical keeps tabs on outbreak-prone pathogens like Powassan virus, measles, and Vibrio vulnificus. FOI Clinical also dispatches same-day alerts for urgent outbreak news, something CDC has done less of in recent years. It's the newsletter I wanted to read as an epidemiologist.
Looking ahead, the winter publishing schedule for Force of Infection will resume in October. Free subscribers will receive a national edition each week. Paid subscribers get the national edition plus their choice of regional editions, which contain detailed state-level data. The options are South, West, Midwest, and Northeast. The $5 a month price is the same whether you choose one region or all four.
I'm also chipping away at a plan to do more for people who are immunocompromised. Readers have shared with me how little information and support there is for people with weakened immune systems. If you or someone you care about is immunocompromised, fill out this three-question form and tell me the questions you haven't been able to get answered. I will also add you to the list to hear more as this takes shape.
I would like to thank everyone who has read, shared, and subscribed these last four years. It is an honor and a pleasure to help keep you well informed about what's going around.
Be well,
Caitlin