Tinder and the White House Want You to Swipe Right on the Covid-19 Vaccine
Dating apps are working to promote public health
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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 seems 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 contact.
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.
