In-Depth | Vax & Dine: how post-pandemic dating will usher a new age of love

Romance and relationships are complicated affairs on the most regular of days! So, what happens when you add a deadly pandemic into the mix?

When Covid-19 mandated global lockdowns, many couples were left stranded while others were forced to cohabit together even if they didn’t want to. Things got fairly complicated for singles too, as dating became an online-only affair. But as they say, love always finds a way.

The rise of virtual dating

Online dating apps became the safe haven for singles and even the unhappily cooped up. 2020 was Tinder’s busiest ever, with 11% more Swipes and 42% more matches per member. Tinder’s parent Match Group that owns 60% of the dating app market, reported a 15% increase in new subscribers.

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It was a big year for other relationship apps as well. Not So Arranged launched in Jan 2020 as a platform for serious relationships, joining the likes of TrulyMadly and Aisle. But even the controversial extra-marital affair site Gleeden crossed 13 lakh subscribers in India during the Covid year.

All in all, the quarantine loneliness accelerated a new normal, pushing people to find ways to connect more, come together for more reasons and be more experimental with dating apps.

The concerns for safety

Trusting other people even on a good day is a big feat but the virus has made safety concerns even more urgent.

With governments asking people to avoid casual sex with strangers and even the World Health Organisation (WHO) urging people to resist their party instincts, the pandemic has made quite a case in favour of monogamy.

SEE MORE WHO says young people need to rethink 'partying habits'

As in-person dating returns, people are using their bios to flaunt their vaccination status. In fact, 38% of Indians said in a Bumble survey that they wouldn’t go on a date or have sex with un-vaccinated folk.

The future of post-pandemic dating

72 per cent of single Indians surveyed by dating app Bumble think it’s possible to fall in love with someone they’ve only met online. This is proof that digital dates are here to stay.

Digital Dates: 40% of Tinder users and 48% of Indians on Bumble would actually prefer first dates to remain virtual. They deem it a safe and low-pressure way to get a sense of someone and will continue using video chat even as date spots re-open.

Stay Authentic: All that time at home has brought upon a new sense of perspective for young people. This has pushed people to be more honest and authentic about who they are, how they look, and what they’re going through. This need for meaningful connections is here to stay.

Clear Boundaries: The word ‘boundaries’ is being used more than ever in bios. A YPulse survey said that over 17% of daters discussed safety precautions and consent for physical touch before meeting up. This practice will continue and is expected to become an integral part of modern intimacy.

Neighbourly Love: Distance may make the heart grow fonder but we have all had enough of it by now. Even as work from anywhere becomes more common, singles would prefer to date people who live close by. Use of geolocation on apps and mentions of the word ‘moving’ in bios skyrocketed in 2020.

SEE MORE People who meet on dating apps have long term commitment: study

As the virus waves come and go, it's hard to say if a delayed love life will cause a post-pandemic dating boom. But it is safe to say that romance and dating have definitely changed forever.