Dating apps urge users to get booster jabs ahead of Valentine’s Day

Some of the UK’s leading dating apps have joined forces to encourage young people to get their Covid-19 booster vaccinations ahead of Valentine’s Day.

Tinder, Match, OurTime, OkCupid, Hinge, Plenty of Fish and Grindr have all backed the Get Boosted Now campaign, and some will also offer users the chance to use in-app “Join the Boosted” messages or display vaccine badges and stickers on their profiles.

The apps are also encouraging young people to get boosted by revealing that, according to new data from Hinge, those who share their vaccination status on dating apps receive 30% more matches than those who do not, while more than a third (37%) told a Plenty of Fish survey that they view vaccination as a desirable trait.

So far, around 60% of eligible young people between the ages of 18 and 34 have been boosted.

Vaccines minister Maggie Throup said: “Getting your booster vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from Covid-19.

“It’s great to see people making the most of our restored freedoms thanks to the vaccination programme, and now getting a booster may even help you find someone special to share them all with.

“Thank you to our dating app partners for pushing this vital message ahead of Valentine’s Day and helping people swipe right on the booster jab.”

Alexandre Lubot, chief executive of the Match Group, which owns Tinder, Match, OkCupid, Hinge and Plenty of Fish, said vaccines are “the best way we can protect ourselves and others”.

“We are proud to once again be working with the UK Government in support of Covid-19 booster vaccinations to help singles in the UK date more safely and with more confidence in the coming months,” he said.