Dating in the middle of a pandemic

There are few better ways to show how much you care about someone than wanting them to be safe and healthy. The world is battling a dangerous pandemic which is highly infectious and health experts have released guidelines to counter this pandemic. Some of the guidelines include social distancing, staying at home as much as possible and full quarantine in case of infection.

So how does dating happen in 2021? Is online dating an option?

Online dating has existed for a while now. A popular movie was made about it called You’ve Got Mail, starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks in 1998. Today, online dating is more acceptable to people because social media and apps like Tinder have made it so.

However, online dating will never match picking a phone, setting a date and time, dressing up and going out to a fancy restaurant for dinner. It will never come close to taking a trip out of town together for the weekend.

How can we date safely in the middle of a global pandemic? For example, if you are keeping yourself safe by being careful and following guidelines, how do you know if your partner is doing the same?

You must have “the Covid talk” with them.

Before Covid, open and honest communication was key and that should not change. When you met someone new in the past, you would talk to them about your compatibility. You would discuss hobbies, common interests and such. Now, there’s an added layer to that. Even if it feels uncomfortable to ask someone you’ve just met about their daily movements and how they live their lives, you must talk to them about their approach to Covid safety guidelines. If their work requires them to be around other people, ask them what measures have been put in place for their protection from the virus. If they live with other people, you need to know how they track each other’s risk of exposure. Do they or their housemates go out to clubs, restaurants and public places?

You must ask these questions before you meet your potential new partner in person. You are basically assessing your own risk of getting sick before you get into a relationship with someone new. Remember that if you do get sick, you will put other people who are closer to you at risk as well.

If a potential new partner is not willing to have the Covid talk with you then that should already be a red flag. If they are taking their own health and safety seriously, they shouldn’t have a problem having this talk.

Despite the pandemic, human connection is what keeps us sane through such adversities as Covid. Human connection is an important part of everyday life and we should still keep the rewards and benefits of dating in mind through Covid.

If you do meet the right person who is willing to have the Covid talk, try and limit your movements by enjoying more dates at home with each other. You could cook delicious meals with Rina and enjoy some quality food and quality time together. Read more about Rina here: https://www.kapa-oil.com/our-brands/edible-oils/rina-vegetable-oil/