Tips for Safe Online Dating During COVID-19

Online dating has been growing in popularity since the internet became accessible to the average person. Websites like match.com made connecting with people as easy as clicking a button. As technology has advanced, so has online dating. Now that our smartphones have the same capabilities as our home computers, online dating has become one of the most popular ways to meet romantic partners. What once seemed like a taboo practice for those who have exhausted all options is now normal practice for many people across the United States.

While COVID-19 altered almost all aspects of life, it seems to have only strengthened the popularity of online dating. This makes sense considering that the best way to stay safe during COVID-19 is to stay home and practice social distancing. Online dating gives users a way to connect with others from the safety of their own homes without risking exposure. As with dating in person, online dating comes with its fair share of risks. It is important for people who use online dating to connect with people to be informed and prepared to ensure safety and success. So, how can you stay safe while online dating during COVID-19?

1. Get To Know Someone Before You Meet In Person

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Some rules to online dating before COVID-19 haven’t changed, and this is one of them. It is hard enough to know if someone is being honest when they are in front of you, and that only becomes more difficult when you are behind a screen. Taking the time to get to know someone you’ve met through online dating will help you feel secure before you meet them in person. This can be done easily with technology and little patience.

Before meeting in person, spend some time talking to your potential match over text, phone call, or video chat. Spending time getting to know someone before you meet gives you time to spot any early red flags like:

1. Is this person aggressive in the way that they speak to you?

2. Do they get overly emotional when you don’t respond right away?

3. Do they respect your boundaries when it comes to sexually explicit communication?

All of these questions should be answered before you decide to meet someone in person. If your online dating match does not meet your criteria for the questions above, it may not be safe to meet them in person.

2. Discuss COVID-19 Safety Values

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While you are dating in person or practicing online dating, certain personal values must sync up with the person you are interested in. Things like politics and moral codes should be considered when you decide to date anybody. COVID-19 has introduced a new value that should be weighed while online dating; health and safety. If you are someone who takes COVID-19 precautions very seriously, it may be wise to know if the person you have matched with thinks they are important, too. For example:

1. Is this person vaccinated, or do they plan to get vaccinated soon?

2. Does this person wear a face mask while in public?

3. Do they obey private businesses’ policies regarding social distancing and masks?

Someone who does not agree with your personal values on COVID-19 safety is someone you may consider not dating. A date that does not value health and safety is someone who may put you at risk for exposure. Someone who is not willing to take the steps to ensure that you feel safe during a pandemic may be dismissive of your concerns regarding anything. Healthy relationships make partners feel safe and comfortable. This is very difficult to achieve if you do not value the same things, especially regarding COVID-19.

3. Plan a Low-Risk Date

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Before COVID-19, a “low risk” date was a date that had minimal chances of turning dangerous for both parties involved. This meant that there was little chance of physical or sexual violence, theft, emotional manipulation, or any other kind of behavior that could turn a good date sour. If you met your date by online dating, it is always recommended to implement certain safety practices, such as:

1. Meeting in a public place

2. Driving your own car too and from your date

3. Sharing your location and your date’s information with loved ones

Now that COVID-19 has changed the online dating game, it has also added to the meaning of a “low-risk” date. “Low-risk” now includes health risks, like exposure to the virus and spreading it if you are asymptomatic. However, there are ways to date safely during COVID-19. When meeting up with someone you met while online dating, make sure that:

1. You both have negative COVID tests

2. Neither of you has been knowingly exposed to the virus

3. You are meeting at a public place that enforces COVID safety precautions

Planning an outdoor date is a great way to stay safe with your online dating partner. This way, you can maintain social distancing from others and be in a well-ventilated area, which lowers the chance of contraction. Ultimately, the best way to stay safe when meeting your online dating partner in person is to get vaccinated. Keeping health precautions in mind will ensure that all parties are protected while dating during COVID-19.

Conclusion

COVID-19 has changed the world around us and has made online dating a more attractive way to meet people safely. However, there have always been risks to online dating since its beginning, and those have not gone away since COVID-19 has made it more popular. In fact, there are new risks involved while online dating that COVID has introduced. You never really know who you are talking to behind a screen, and meeting someone in person may leave you at risk for exposure and contraction of the virus.

Fortunately, there are ways to minimize the old and new risks that come along with online dating if you take the time to educate yourself. Getting to know someone before you meet, evaluating your health and safety values, and planning low-risk dates are all great ways to stay safe while online dating through COVID-19. It has been a trying year that has tested our relationships and ability to meet people. However, with the right precautions, it is still possible to make meaningful connections that keep all parties healthy and safe.