The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed virtually everything about society. As the end of the pandemic appears to be on the horizon, many people are wanting to get back to normal in some form or fashion. Dating apps are helping the process of attaining normality with campaigns to help promote vaccinations.
The governments of both the United Kingdom and the United States have stated they are working with dating apps to promote the COVID-19 vaccine with younger generations who may be less likely to get the vaccine due to having less vulnerability to major symptoms from the virus. In fact, most of the major apps including Bumble and Tinder are currently developing a manner for users to easily show their vaccination status such as a checkmark or banner.
This is also a feature that many people are wanting. A small, local dating app Say Allo, which serves Denver, Colorado, has already unveiled such a feature. They noted that a survey of their users indicated that nearly 70% of people wanted to know a potential date’s vaccination status. This shows that there is a demand for this type of feature. In reality, there are many benefits of easily knowing a potential date’s vaccination status. Let’s take a look at some of these benefits.
Ensure Safety
The most obvious benefit is the ability to ensure personal safety. While the vaccines are highly effective and almost completely protect against severe symptoms, they are not perfect. Thus, knowing someone’s vaccination status can help you protect yourself from becoming sick. If you are vaccinated, there is still a slight chance of developing COVID-19. If your date is also vaccinated, this chance decreases.
Additionally, the reality is that some people simply are unable to take the COVID-19 vaccine due to issues such as having a compromised immune system or other complications. If you are one of these people, you may want to only meet up with vaccinated individuals. Obviously, whom someone dates is a highly personal choice; however, knowing someone’s vaccine status can help people make an informed decision based on their comfort.
Avoid Awkwardness
If you are someone that wants to know if a potential partner is vaccinated – and nearly three-fourths of people are – this feature can eliminate the awkward questions early in a chat. When you are trying to impress a potential date with your witty remarks, quotes from The Office, or dad jokes, one thing that can throw off the conversation is delving into a more serious topic.
Dating today usually starts off playful. Being able to see someone’s vaccination status displayed on their profile with an image or checkmark eliminates the need to even discuss the topic early on. You can rest assured that the person you are trying to woo is protected against coronavirus. This allows dating to be more normal, or at least as normal as online dating can be. For those wanting a return to normality, focusing on dating without extra worries is certainly a perk.
More Options for Dates
A huge benefit of being able to easily determine if a person is vaccinated before you swipe means you’ll be able to do more things on dates. Many people took off dating for the pandemic while others sat through virtual dating via Zoom. Now that restrictions are being rolled back, in-person dating is quickly making a comeback.
Yet, there are still restrictions, particularly for the unvaccinated. These restrictions vary considerably from place to place, but a vaccinated person dating someone without the vaccine will likely have fewer options for dates. Even in many of the most conservative states in the U.S., many venues such as concerts and sporting events are considering requiring the vaccine for admission.
Promote Public Safety
Of course, one of the major reasons that governments are actively working with dating apps on this feature is the need for public safety. While this may not directly impact you if you’re already vaccinated, it is important for society. As we would all love to move back to a more normal life, anything that encourages people to become vaccinated will help move us more rapidly forward towards normality.
Additionally, as more people become vaccinated, the spread of the virus will slow, protecting people from becoming ill. This is particularly important for people who medically cannot get vaccinated. And let’s face it – nothing is quite as sexy as helping others.
Final Thoughts
Dating apps will soon have a new look in the form of promoting a user’s vaccine status. For those looking for a partner, this can make the dating experience safer, less awkward, and give more options for places to go on a date. Look for these features to be rolled out soon.