To his surprise, she accepted. Arriving in a taxi, wearing gloves and refusing to take the elevator, she hooked up with Marcos in his apartment before insisting he call her a cab before dawn to go home.
As governments invoke emergency powers to combat the coronavirus pandemic, and social distancing measures preclude meeting people in bars, cafes or restaurants, love โ or at least lust โ is still finding a way via dating apps.
While some users like Marcos are meeting in person, many are romancing online because of the public health risks, often using in-app video chats. There has been no meaningful change in the number of people downloading dating apps in the United States or globally, according to analytics firm Sensor Tower.
Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. There are early signs that dating apps are, however, struggling to attract new users in countries that have moved into national lockdowns, which could become increasingly common around the world.
Health concerns about daters making the leap from virtual contact to physical hookups have prompted Grindr and Tinder to issue health warnings advising users to practice safe hygiene and wash their hands. A Facebook spokeswoman said Facebook Dating was planning notifications too, although it had not started showing them yet. OK Cupid stressed that people should not meet up in person during the coronavirus outbreak, and both it and Bumble were nudging people towards video chats. Disease experts say young people with robust immune systems are least likely to die of the disease.
