Tinder is giving away a pair of free COVID tests to 500 users and their matches, to encourage the return of offline dating.
They are being supplied by startup medical testing company Everlywell. People taking the tests need to swab themselves at home, mail the sample to the lab, and wait for their results to be posted online within two days.
On Saturday, 20th March, the first day of Spring, users in the US will be able to claim their code from 7pm ET.
However, Tinder was clear to state that test kits and negative results doesn’t make an in-person date 100% safe. The risk is minimised but not eliminated entirely.
Nicole Parlapiano, Tinder’s VP of Marketing for North America, said in a statement: “The pandemic has created no shortage of dating obstacles, but we think our members are pretty optimistic about getting back out there; January 3rd Swipe activity hit 3.4 billion, which was one of the busiest days of the entire pandemic.
“We’re excited to be working with Everlywell to make it easier for our members to go and meet their matches safely.”
Throughout the pandemic, dating platforms introduced virtual dating features to help people continue dating from the safety of their home. Tinder released ‘Face To Face’ in October, an in-app video calling option that gave each participant an equal share of the screen.
However, more and more daters are ready to get back and interact safely in the real world. It’s believed that 40% of Tinder members under the age of 30 are yet to meet a match in person.
Visit the Everlywell website here.