When it comes to dating in quarantine, it can be best summed up as some success, some shortcomings, and a lot of small victories.
Prior to the pandemic, finding a date couldn’t have been any easier. In the last decade alone, the giant boom in dating apps has made finding a date as simple as a swipe right or left. Tinder, Bumble, OkCupid, Hinge, even Facebook now has their own dating program.
In the year that has followed the beginning of the pandemic, finding a date is easy. It’s the act of dating itself that is the hard part. Many options for dates, such as movie theatres, restaurants, coffee shops, and museums to name a few, aren’t available anymore.
According to writer Sophie St. Thomas, when one considers a potential partner for compatibility, people tend to look at their hobbies, common interests, and politics.
“A new item to add to that list would be you and your partner’s approach to COVID-19 safety,” Thomas said.
It used to be that typical conversation starters were along the lines of ‘What do you like to do in your free time,’ ‘What are your ambitions,’ and ‘What’s your story?’ Now, typical conversation starters are along the lines of ‘Do you always wear a mask,’ ‘How far away do you stay apart from someone when you go out,’ and ‘Do you think this is all a hoax, or do you trust in science?’
As far as dates go, people have found ways to work around meeting in person. Texting, streaming a movie over a screen-sharing program such as Discord, and preparing similar meals over video chat are just to name a few. As far as meeting in person, some popular ideas include a socially distant walk in the park, picnics, hikes, kayaking/canoeing, and going to a flea/farmers’ market.
The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health says that dating in the pandemic is safe, provided people follow certain guidelines:
- Ask yourself “Which protocols are non-negotiable?” (mask-wearing and safe distance)
- Outside activities vs indoor date
- Type of date and contact level you want to have
- Consider getting tested prior to meeting in person
Let’s say that after video chatting and going on walks for so long, you feel ready to get intimate with said partner. Are there ways of making sure you and your partner stay safe? Dr. Abraar Karan of Harvard Medical School told NPR that you should approach COVID the same way you would approach a sexually transmitted disease.
“Nothing can guarantee that you are fully safe, but this is the best way to think about risk reduction,” said Karan.
Other doctors such as Theresa Tham, Canada’s chief public health officer, recommend that you should always wear a mask and avoid kissing, which one primary mode of passing on any illness is via mouth-to-mouth activities.
Though wearing masks does reduce the risk of inhaling viral particles, it’s hard to measure effectiveness. That said, it may be best to avoid intimate activities for now at least.