Dating In A Pandemic
Mark Dorshkind carries roses he bought for Valentine's Day at Flowers of the Valley in San Francisco, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Meeting on FaceTime and Zoom and going for a socially distanced walk; these are some of the creative ways people are dating in the midst of the pandemic. With COVID-19 surging across Illinois and 5,887 people hospitalized as of November 16, 2020, and new restrictions taking effect on November 20 — returning to casual, in-person dating is out of the question for most people for the time being. Beyond that, couples who would normally meet each other’s families this time of year will have to wait.
But hearts will find a way. Nine months into the pandemic, how have people been dating? And what are the safest ways to do so?
The 21st spoke to two experts on relationships on how dating has changed because of the pandemic and how people can navigate the upcoming cuffing season.
Guests:
Bela Gandhi, Founder of Smart Dating Academy, Chicago
Christopher Maniotes, Researcher of the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Prepared for web by Zainab Qureshi
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