Novel content orients attention to a message. Novel content concerning health, political, or personal information about the pandemic was retweeted substantially more than other content during early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Contrary to this point, results from research found that less novel misinformation led to greater intention to share the message on social media. Novelty reduces positive emotions and credibility but increases negative emotions, which in turn reduces sharing intention. However, novelty also increases the impact of efficacy on sharing intention. The increase it creates in high efficacy information is theorized to be caused by the attention that novelty orients to the message.