By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. In the face of a virus that can spread when two people simply breathe the same air, dating amidst the coronavirus pandemic seems counterintuitive and plain dangerous. While COVID poses very real health hazards, its interpersonal consequences β namely, the need for quarantine and social-distancing β have left people around the world craving connection.
Humans are social creatures and our need for love, as well as sex , will always prevail. As bars, parties and other crowded social gatherings become red zones, singles formerly averse to online dating are turning to apps such as Bumble and Hinge for connection. In fact, Bumble saw a 16 percent global increase in messages sent during the last week of April, while Hinge reported a 30 percent surge in messages sent globally throughout March.
In response to the pandemic, Hinge launched a video chat feature to help facilitate virtual dating, a safer alternative to in-person meet-ups. More traditional methods of finding love are seeing a boom in popularity, too. Amy Van Doran , love coach and founder of matchmaking agency The Modern Love Club , says that demand for her expertise has increased.
Van Doran, who boasts a rolodex of thousands of vetted singles and takes on a limited number of clients at a time, reveals that almost half of her charges matched within the first three months of the pandemic.
Both Bumble and Hinge offer in-app video chat features, which have proven to be popular despite initial reticence to try them out. Being socially generous with yourself and others can put things on the right track. New York-based matchmaker and love coach Lisa Ronis agrees, stressing the importance of asking pointed questions before going on an IRL date. If so, have their kids attended camp [or] school? Andrew Goodman, associate director of medicine at the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center , says those with underlying medical conditions should avoiding IRL meetings with anyone outside of their household.
