Cabin fever is kicking in. It turns out that staying home and being alone is harder than we thought. Dallas’ own Match Group announced a public health partnership with the Biden White House to help promote Covid-19 vaccination across its portfolio of dating apps.
The White House Press Briefing is not always so exciting. But in today’s press brief, the Covid Response Team discussed OkCupid and Tinder dating advice. Dr. Anthony Fauci and Andy Slavitt handed out free tips to get people to swipe right.
According to Slavitt, people who display their vaccination status are 14% more likely to get a match. He said, “We have finally found the one thing that makes us more attractive, a vaccination.”
Match Group, with headquarters in Dallas, has the largest online dating app portfolio, including popular brands like OkCupid, Tinder, Match.com, and Plenty of Fish. The company’s mission is “to spark meaningful connections for every single person worldwide.”
It seem no aspect of meaningful connection includes infection.
Covid-19 is spread through person-to-person contact via respiratory droplets — droplets first spread through coughing, sneezing, and respiratory particles. These particles get on our clothes and hands and are passed through handshakes, hugging, kissing, and other close human contacts.
Single people can help protect themselves and others by disclosing their vaccination status to those they date. Open disclosure allows people to make conscious choices about who they meet or date on apps. #SafeSex2021
Covid-19 shaming and finger-pointing reduce our ability to fight the pandemic. Stigmatization may lead people to hide infections and avoid testing. If those infected avoid disclosure and limit dialogue, others may not make safe choices to reduce their risk.
The hope is that sharing vaccination status on dating apps will encourage good public health and help individuals make informed personal choices regarding their health and safety.
The world is reopening, and people are ready to get out of the house. The White House partnership with Match Group helps promote public health as dating ramps up again. The campaigns are starting now and will run through July 4 across the various dating apps.
“Human connection is so vital for healthy lives — it’s why I am so committed to this business,” said Shar Dubey, CEO of Match Group, in the press release. “We are honored to work with the White House on increasing vaccinations across America, which will allow people to once again meet in person and engage in meaningful ways. This will make dating safer for everyone, everywhere.”
To promote Covid-19 vaccinations, the apps will help users find a location to get Covid-19 vaccine sites. People can add vaccination badges to their profiles. Some of the apps will offer boost features to profiles displaying vaccine badges.
Match Group reports dating app users have asked for these features to help them make decisions about dating safety.
Here are the features that will be available on various apps.
Tinder
On Tinder, members can add a variety of profile stickers celebrating Covid-19 vaccines. Profile stickers like “I’m Vaccinated” or “Vaccines Save Lives” help share vaccine status with prospective dates. In June, Tinder will offer a “Super Like” feature to help vaccinated members stand out from the crowd.
Tinder plans to offer a “Vaccine Center” hosting Covid education and vaccination site locations.
Match.com
Match.com users will be able to add a “Vaccinated” badge to their personal profiles. Match.com will provide a free “boost” to vaccinated profiles to give them more exposure on the site.
OkCupid
OkCupid will also offer “I’m Vaccinated” badges and free profile boosts. But OkCupid plans to allow members to search for other vaccinated people as part of its matching categories.
Plenty of Fish profiles will feature the “I Got My Shot” badge. BLK will add “Vaxified” profile badges, and Chispa will add “Vacunado.”
Dallas’ Match Group has been the industry leader in online dating for many years. These proactive steps promote public safety and help single people learn to live in our new normal.
