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Think you can you spot COVID-19 misinformation? Check your knowledge with the COVID Competency Exam! [1]

['Jennifer Sandlin']

Date: 2025-09-15

Looking for a fun way to test your knowledge about COVID-19, and learn more about the virus and its impacts along the way? If so, check out the "COVID Competency Exam," a new way to see how much you know about COVID-19 and how well you can spot COVID facts versus fiction. The tool was recently created by Dr. Sean Mullen, Associate Professor of Health and Kinesiology at the University of Illinois, and Director of the Exercise, Technology and Cognition Lab. On his website he states that in his work, he explores "intersection of human potential and scientific innovation." Mullen's COVID Competency Exam tests the user's ability to separate COVID facts from COVID mis- and disinformation, and, as a plain language learning tool, it adjusts its difficulty, in real time, depending on how the user answers questions. I reached out to Dr. Mullen to get his perspective on why he created the tool. He stated:

The purpose was simple: raise baseline knowledge and correct common myths for people at all literacy levels. Facts should be accessible to everyone. Misinformation is everywhere. Even careful communities absorb myths. The exam corrects those quickly with simple explanations. The goal is baseline knowledge, not bragging rights. The quiz teaches as it tests.

He also explained that the idea started not as a research instrument, but as way to provide education. He goes on:

Learning came first. I was already developing a general knowledge quiz, as our team's systematic review on physical activity misinformation was recently accepted at JMIR Infodemiology [JS: that's Journal of Medical Internet Research]. The exam became a practical way to act on that evidence. Engagement features are there to widen reach. Badges and sharing can motivate participation, but learning comes first, always. Most people who need this will never post a score. I designed it to be private and shame free. I expect Covid-cautious and Long Covid communities to score higher. That is fine, because the point is to help everyone learn at their own pace. I am actively debugging social features and clarifying items from early feedback so explanations are even clearer.

Finally, he discussed his future plans for the tool, which are focused on public health education to combat misinformation:

Looking ahead, the longer version will become a doorway to brief lessons, tailored resources, and follow up. Our lab now tackles health misinformation because lasting behavior change lives inside identity and daily routines. Change what people know, and their confidence in that knowledge, and you can change what people do.

As a COVID-aware and COVID-cautious person — meaning I try my very best to learn all I can about COVID-19 and to avoid it like the plague it is — I was excited to take the test. I wanted to see if all of the time and energy I've spent learning about COVID-19 has truly helped build my knowledge base about the virus, in addition to helping me stay COVID-free (as far as I can tell). I took the shorter test and got 20 out of 20 questions correct. I was thrilled to see that I got the top score, "Epidemiologist's Nightmare" (My results said, "You're so well-informed, conspiracy theorists actively avoid you at parties" — which made me laugh). But as much as I think I know about COVID-19, I know there's always more research being published, so I will continue to do my best to keep up with the current state of knowledge.

Thanks, Dr. Mullen, for your tireless work focused on keeping us informed about COVID-19, and for providing this fun tool that helps us stay up to date on the latest COVID-19 facts!

Try out the "COVID Competency Exam" for yourself here, and to learn more about Dr. Mullen and his work, check out his website or follow him on Bluesky.

And if you want to learn more about COVID-19, please check out this 2-minute crash course by COVID activist and educator Paco, which is filled with helpful, research-based facts. It's one of the best examples of COVID-19-focused public pedagogy I've seen lately. Pass it on!

Mask up, get vaccinated, clean the air, and try to socialize outdoors if you can—we're in the middle of a COVID surge. Stay safe, friends!

Previously:

• California is seeing an alarming rise in COVID-19 cases

• RFK Jr's MAHA project funnels millions from public health to private wellness industry

• Facebook health disinformation 'superspreaders' got ~3.8 billion views in past year, spiked during coronavirus: report

• Covid misinformation videos overwhelm YouTube

• Brazil's Bolsonaro indicted for falsifying his Covid vaccine records: faces 12 years in prison

• Free tool helps dodge grant rejections as federal censorship expands

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[1] Url: https://boingboing.net/2025/09/15/think-you-can-you-spot-covid-19-misinformation-check-your-knowledge-with-the-covid-competency-exam.html

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