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

People who share their vaccination status receive 30 per cent more matches on Hinge

Users will have opportunity to display vaccine badges and stickers on their profiles (Getty Images)

Popular dating apps including Tinder, Hinge, Plenty of Fish and Grindr are encouraging young people to get their Covid-19 booster vaccines ahead of Valentine’s Day.

The platforms are backing the government’s Get Boosted Now campaign by giving users the opportunity to display vaccine badges and stickers on their profiles.

Other apps taking part in the initiative include Match, OurTime and OkCupid.

The news comes as data from Hinge reveals that people who share their vaccination status receive 30 per cent more matches than those who don’t.

Additionally, a survey of Plenty of Fish users found that 37 per cent view vaccination as a desirable trait.

So far, approximately 60 per cent of eligible people between the ages of 18 and 34 have received the booster vaccine.

Vaccines minister Maggie Throup commented: “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.”

The government previously enlisted the help of Match Group, which owns Tinder and Hinge, to encourage young people to get vaccinated in summer 2021.

As users swiped through the app, an advert encouraging the uptake of the vaccine appeared after a certain number of profiles.

At the time, a government spokesperson told The Independent it was using “every means possible to help the public to stay safe from coronavirus”.

Alexandre Lubot, chief executive of the Match Group, 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.

According to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics, vaccine hesitancy has slightly decreased among young people since the start of the pandemic.

In the period between June and July 2021, 14 per cent of 18–25-year-olds felt unsure about getting vaccinated. This was a decrease of five per cent from the previous period between May and June.