OkCupid, Tinder Offer In-App Vaccine Resources in India
Contributed by: kellyseal on Friday, July 02 2021 @ 10:23 am
Last modified on Friday, July 02 2021 @ 10:38 am
Dating apps OkCupid and Tinder are reaching out to users in India to encourage them to get vaccinated, including offering in-app educational guides and access to an all-new vaccine center.
Tinder users in India will now be able to add their vaccination status to their profiles, as well as being able to encourage others to get vaccinated, according to a report from Indian Express[*1] . The stickers range from declaring your own status as “Vaccinated” to “Vaxing soon” to encouraging others to get vaccinated with “Immunity Together” and “Vaccines Save Lives.”
OkCupid is offering similar badges for those who want to declare their vaccination status. The company expects displaying these badges will increase match rates 35 percent, an extra incentive for its users to get vaccinated. The companies have already rolled out vaccination badges in the U.S. and the U.K.
In addition, both Tinder and OkCupid are offering members in India a vaccine resource center – directing them to either tinder.knowthevaccine.com or okcupid.knowthevaccine.com - where they can get vaccine-related information approved by the WHO (World Health Organization). The guide answers a range of questions from the basics like “what is a vaccine?” and “can I go out now?” to “can I still get Covid after I’m vaccinated?” This initiative is to offer people more information about the vaccines by answering common questions that contribute to vaccine hesitancy.
The dating apps will also be offering the ability for users to book appointments at the nearest vaccination site via the in-app resource center.
Taru Kapoor, General Manager Tinder and Match Group India said in a statement: “Vaccinations have become a popular talking point on Tinder and mentions of ‘vaccine’ in member bios went up by 42x in India in May 2021 – an all-time high – compared to when the pandemic[*2] first began.”
Other apps might be looking to make similar moves in the country, whose population has recently suffered from a pandemic surge. Bumble noted that 40 percent of singles in India will still be virtual dating in 2021, aiming to build trust before meeting in person, according to The Mint[*3] . Still, it seems people are eager to meet people in real life after a year of lockdowns across the globe.
“As India’s vaccination drive gains momentum, we want to extend support and encouragement for our members to be better equipped to find their way back into IRL (in real life) dating when it becomes a possibility," Kapoor said in the statement.