Should I Go On This Date? And Other Coronavirus-related Dating Questions Answered

Recently, I’ve come across many coronavirus-related questions on dating subreddits, such as:

“I recently matched up with this guy/girl on Tinder and we had a date planned before the coronavirus thing happened. We still want to go out but I am/they are worried/uncomfortable/reluctant to meet up in a public place for fear of catching it.”

While this story seems to be the most common, some variations I’ve read are:

• We’ve been dating for a few months and now we can’t see each other. What do I do?

• I’m worried that if I don’t act now, he/she won’t be interested in me when this thing is over.

• I’m horny and I don’t want to go for any period of time without getting laid.

• Since we are young and it only seems to be really dangerous for older people, couldn’t we just meet up? 

• I’m so lonely!

• My boyfriend/girlfriend has been going out and partying and wants to come back to my place afterward. Should I let them? 

• My dating plans got screwed up by this virus so I’m thinking about reconnecting with my ex.

• My particular country/state is incomplete lockdown but I’m thinking about pretending to go out for groceries and meeting up with this girl/guy.

• I’m worried that my relationship won’t survive being isolated from him/her.

There’s one answer to all these questions: 

You don’t need to date right now. 

You don’t need to ask someone to meet you or feel pressured to meet anyone in the middle of a pandemic. 

The lockdown is only temporary. Dating can wait. 

If you must have social contact, you can use video chats and phone calls. You don’t need to go out or welcome someone inside your home. 

Your naughty parts will still work once this has passed. In the meantime, you can take care of your own business. 

Your loneliness won’t go away just by hooking up with some random strangers. If anything, it might even make you feel lonelier when you realise they care more about getting laid than your safety and wellbeing. 

If you’ve been dating and your partner insists on meeting you after being out and about to God-knows-where, it’s a red flag! You should tell them that their behavior is too risky and they aren’t a good match for you if they choose to ignore safety precautions.

Your relationship may or may not survive this unusual situation but, if it doesn’t, perhaps that could tell you something about the quality and depth of the connection you think you have.

As for your exes, you broke up with them for a reason. This reason hasn’t changed just because of the pandemic.

You don’t need to go against national advice and risk harming yourself and others for some cheap moments of gratification. 

This is the question you should really be asking when you wonder whether or not you need to be out dating right now: 

Is your desire to date more important than someone else’s life? 

Every time you go out, there’s a possibility that you contract this virus. While you may be in the best of health and show no symptoms, you can still be a virus carrier and unknowingly spread it to the people who simply cannot afford to be sick right now. 

Not everyone’s risks are the same but there are far too many people without health insurance who would be put into horrible debt by catching this coronavirus and having to be hospitalised.

And, of course, the worst-case scenario is someone could die.

You do not need to take this risk right now and put others at risk. It’s incredibly selfish and socially irresponsible.

It sucks. We all feel it. However, it will pass. If everyone stays informed and follows the social-distancing rules, we can slow this virus thing down and eventually beat it.

Do your part.

Stay home.

This article was written by u/Acornwow and originally posted on Reddit. It was edited and republished with the author’s permission.