STATUS: SINGLE AND VACCINATED
The dating scene in the times of Covid-19 is creating a new wave of awareness among youngsters when it comes to realising the importance of being vaccinated
I’d prefer to go on a date with someone who is fully vaccinated and has been taking precautions.
ATHARV KAPOOR, Student
Little did Ritvik Verma, a Delhi-based professional from the hospitality sector, know that adding ‘partially vaccinated’ to his dating app bio would serve as the perfect conversation starter in the present scenario. Verma, who got his first dose of vaccination in mid-May and added to his bio for the “coolness” factor, says, “I kept thinking what would make my profile stand apart and also fetch some right swipes.”
Like Verma, several youngsters in the city are looking forward to adding ‘got my first jab’, ‘partially vaccinated’ to their online dating bio, to get swiped right. Also, to encourage vaccination in the United States, the Joe Biden administration announced teaming up with dating apps to offer incentives such as badges showing vaccination status and free access to premium content.
Millennials and Gen-Z believe that it also reflects the choices of your potential partner in the times of ‘vacci-dating’. “After lockdown ends, I’d prefer to go on a date with someone who is vaccinated, because that shows the person is taking precaution,” says Atharv
Kapoor, a 29-year-old student.
Some also feel that it’s easier to socialise not fearing that you may be risking yourself or your family and friends at home by going out. Karan Nandal, 29, an MBA aspirant says, “You don’t really know the person and where they are coming from or to what degree they have been or are careful, and dating apps have also pivoted with the pandemic.” For others, it’s a matter of safety. Ankita Arora, 24, acquisition manager, says, “I will feel safer if the other person is vaccinated. I might not include it in my bio, but I will bring it up in my conversation.” Another user, Sahej Narula, 21, a store manager, says, “Vaccinated or not, I’d maintain distance, avoid clicking photos together or hugging when on a date after the lockdown eases.”
Relationship experts feel the dating culture transformed during the pandemic. “Compatibility has become a second factor; first is to not play the unsafety game,” says relationship coach, Ekta Dixit.
However, Dr DS Gambhir says getting vaccinated doesn’t mean you’re 100% safe. “You still have chances of getting Covid, but the severity of the infection is lesser. So, you still need to follow social distancing and preferably wear double masks. Don’t shake hands and also keep washing/sanitising them frequently,” he says.