Dating apps team up with government to help boost vaccine uptake
A host of dating apps like Tinder and Hinge will team up with the government in a bid to boost vaccine uptake among under-30s.
Users of these platforms will be given special upgrades and “vaccination badges and stickers” if they can prove they have been jabbed.
Dating apps involved in the “every vaccination gives us hope” campaign include Tinder, Match, Hinge, Bumble, Badoo, Plenty of Fish, OurTime and Muzmatch.
It comes after a recent YouGov poll showed 31 per cent of adults would prefer to date someone who was vaccinated and a further 28 per cent would not date someone unless they had received the jab.
Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said: “This is another incredible asset to our vaccination programme – the biggest and most successful in our history.
“The vaccine is our way out of this pandemic and we have made incredible progress so far with over three quarters of adults receiving at least one dose.
“I encourage everyone who is eligible to roll up their sleeves and get the jab – it could save your life and protect your loved ones.”
Tinder’s participation in the campaign will see users given “I’m Vaccinated” or “Vaccines Save Lives” stickers to show their vaccine status.
They will also be given a a free “Super Like”, which gives people a better chance of matching with another person.
Bumble users will be given vaccination stickers and badges, while the app will also add Covid preferences to let people know in what situations they are comfortable to date others.
Online Dating Association chief executive George Kidd said the pandemic had made dating apps more popular than ever, which underlines the importance of the campaign.
“Dating apps and services are the start point for about a third of all new relationships,” he said.
“When meeting in person was not possible, services were an important way of meeting others online, with the hope of meeting up later when safe to do so.”
The campaign comes as under-30s are set to be eligible for their first vaccine next week.
Some polling shows younger age ranges have among the highest rates of vaccine hesitancy, with one poll suggesting it was one-in-five under-30s.
However, there was also great enthusiasm shown at Twickenham Stadium last weekend when tens of thousands of under-30s queued to get a vaccine in a one-off event.