Dating apps add Covid jab criteria to find ideal partner

London, April 25

Want to find an ideal partner on dating apps? First get vaccinated against Covid. According to a media report, many dating apps are allowing users to determine potential partners based on their vaccine status.

An increasing number of people on dating apps like Tinder, OK Cupid, Bumble and Coffee Meets Bagel are divulging information on whether they are vaccinated or are planning to take the jab against Covid-19, the Guardian reported.

Research by London-based Elate Date showed that more than 60 per cent of people on its platform did not want to date anti-vaxxers, the report said.

"It's becoming a bit of a flex to say you've been vaccinated. Our research finds that over 60 per cent of people wouldn't consider dating someone who was against having the vaccination and that it's become a trend to include 'vaccination', 'antibodies' and 'shots' in dating bios in the same way people would their height, job or interests," Sanjay Panchal, founder of dating app Elate was quoted as saying to the Guardian.

In the US, the syringe emoji has become the new winky face, while a double-dosed selfie on your profile will, it's claimed, bring you double the number of dates, the report said.

Users who claimed to have already received the Covid vaccine were being "liked" at twice the rate of users who said they weren't interested, The Guardian cited Michael Kaye, OKCupid spokesperson as saying to the New York Times.

"Basically, getting the vaccine is the hottest thing you could be doing on a dating app right now," Kaye said.

Tinder, had in January, found a 238 per cent spike in vaccine mentions in user bios, while Bumble reported "a steady increase" in the number of people including "vaccine" or "vaccinated" in their profiles, the report said.

--IANS

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