7-item scale measuring fear of coronavirus-19 during the pandemic. ≈ 2 min to complete. Free with attribution.
FCV-19S (Fear of COVID-19 Scale) is a validated clinical instrument used to assess 7-item scale measuring fear of coronavirus-19 during the pandemic.. It is most often used for 7-item scale measuring fear of coronavirus-19 during the pandemic.. The instrument contains 7 items. Typical administration time is ≈ 2 min.
Source / attribution: Free to use with citation
7-item scale measuring fear of coronavirus-19 during the pandemic. FCV-19S is part of standard practice in this setting because it provides a structured, replicable assessment that can be tracked over time and compared across patients or visits.
Like all screening or assessment instruments, FCV-19S is a structured aid — not a diagnostic test in isolation. Results should be interpreted alongside history, examination, and clinical context. Where a score crosses an actionable threshold, the next step is typically a more detailed clinical evaluation rather than a definitive diagnosis.
Answer all 7 items below to see your FCV-19S score and interpretation.
Each item is scored on a 5-point scale (1–5). Your score updates live as you answer.
All scoring runs in your browser. No data is sent anywhere — close the tab and the answers are gone.
Sum all 7 items scored 1-5. Total range 7-35. Higher scores = greater fear of COVID-19.
Scoring notes: Sum all 7 items scored 1-5. Total range 7-35. Higher scores = greater fear of COVID-19.
The cutoffs below are drawn from the published validation literature. Always interpret in clinical context.
| Score range | Band | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| 7–14 | Low fear | None |
| 15–24 | Moderate fear | Monitor |
| 25–35 | High fear | Consider support |
This is an illustrative walkthrough, not a real patient. Follow the same four steps with your own answers — or use the live calculator at the top of this page.
Read each question and choose the response that best fits. Each response has a number next to it — that number is the item's score. The example below uses illustrative answers.
| # | Item | Example response | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I am most afraid of COVID-19 | Neither agree nor disagree | 3 |
| 2 | It makes me uncomfortable to think about COVID-19 | Neither agree nor disagree | 3 |
| 3 | My hands become clammy when I think about COVID-19 | Neither agree nor disagree | 3 |
| 4 | I am afraid of losing my life because of COVID-19 | Neither agree nor disagree | 3 |
| 5 | When watching news and stories about COVID-19 on social media, I become nervous or anxious | Neither agree nor disagree | 3 |
| 6 | I cannot sleep because I'm worrying about getting COVID-19 | Disagree | 2 |
| 7 | My heart races or palpitates when I think about getting COVID-19 | Neither agree nor disagree | 3 |
Add up all the item scores you noted in Step 1.
3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 2 + 3 = 20
Find the row in the interpretation table whose range contains your total:
Total = 20 falls between 15 and 24 → Moderate fear
Moderate fear. Monitor
A score is one input alongside history and examination. FCV-19S supports clinical judgment — it does not replace it.
Psychometric figures are drawn from the validation literature and may vary across clinical populations and translations.
If FCV-19S doesn't fit your context, related instruments in covid-19 include:
| Scale | Measures | Items | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPDI | 24-item measure of peritraumatic distress related to the COVID-19 pandemic. | 24 | ≈ 5 min |
| PHQ-9 | Severity of depression | 9 | ≈ 3 minutes |
| GAD-7 | Severity of generalized anxiety | 7 | ≈ 2 minutes |
| AUDIT | 10-item WHO screening tool for hazardous alcohol consumption and dependence. | 10 | ≈ 3 min |
| CHA2DS2-VASc | Annual stroke risk in non-valvular atrial fibrillation | 8 | — |
| Glasgow Coma Scale | Level of consciousness after head injury | 3 | — |
| MELD-Na | 3-month mortality in advanced liver disease; transplant prioritization | 5 | — |
FCV-19S (Fear of COVID-19 Scale) is a validated instrument that assesses 7-item scale measuring fear of coronavirus-19 during the pandemic.. Its primary clinical use is 7-item scale measuring fear of coronavirus-19 during the pandemic..
FCV-19S typically takes ≈ 2 min to administer. Time can vary slightly depending on whether it is self-administered or clinician-led.
FCV-19S contains 7 items. Items are summed to produce a total score.
Scores of 25–35 fall in the "High fear" band. Consider support
Scores of 7–14 fall in the "Low fear" band. None
FCV-19S has reported Cronbach's α of 0.91 in validation samples and test–retest reliability of 0.85. Validated in multiple countries during early pandemic.
FCV-19S is free to use with attribution. Free to use with citation
Ahorsu, D. K., Lin, C. Y., Imani, V., Saffari, M., Griffiths, M. D., & Pakpour, A. H. (2020). The Fear of COVID-19 Scale. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 20, 1537-1545.
No. FCV-19S is a structured assessment aid. A score is one input alongside history, examination, and clinical context. Treatment decisions should never rest on a screening score alone.
FCV-19S is supported by the following peer-reviewed sources: