Austin's Bumble Joins Other Dating Apps In Encouraging Vaccinations

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Statesman LogoHearst Newspapers LogoTRENDING:Texas A&M football|Ash Trevino arrested|BOGO Chipotle|Free Krispy Kreme|College football bowls|Country’s best tamalesBusinessAustin's Bumble joins other dating apps in encouraging COVID vaccinationsBy Kara Carlson, Austin American-StatesmanMay 24, 2021

Austin-based Bumble went public in February, raising $2.5 billion with the biggest IPO in Austin's history.Stephen Spillman/Special to American-Statesman

Austin-based Bumble is among a number of dating apps and sites offering incentives and encouraging users to get vaccinated for COVID-19.

Bumble, Tinder, Match and OkCupid are rolling out features as that will allow vaccinated people to display badges that say they are vaccinated, along with creating filters that can limit potential dates to people who are vaccinated, among other features. It's the latest round of pandemic-friendly features added by the companies since March 2020.

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Bumble made a stunning debut on Wall Street on Thursday, raising $2.15 billion with its initial public offering of stock.Courtesy of Bumble

White House senior advisor Andy Slavitt highlighted the initiative during a recent virtual briefing, saying the popular apps could help reach young people by promoting the idea that getting a shot could help users get a date.

More: Bumble finalizes Austin-record $2.5 billion stock offering

“We have finally found the one thing that makes us all more attractive: a vaccination,” Slavitt said.

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Slavitt, one of the Biden administration’s top coronavirus advisers, said the initiative is not an official partnership, but the dating sites cater to over 50 million people in the U.S. and are some of the world's biggest non-gaming apps. The companies have been in communication with the White House.

“Social distancing and dating were always a bit of a challenging combination,” Slavitt said “Dating sites like Bumble, Tinder, Hinge, Match, OkCupid, BLK, Chispa, Plenty of Fish and Badoo are announcing a series of features to encourage vaccinations and help people meet people who have that universally attractive quality: They've been vaccinated against COVID-19.”

More: Bumble's $2.15 billion IPO is biggest in Austin's history

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The White House has announced a number of initiatives to encourage people to get vaccinated, including working with other technology companies. President Joe Biden recently announced that Uber and Lyft would provide free rides to vaccination sites from May 24 to July 4.

Biden set a goal in May to have 70% of adults vaccinated with at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Currently, 61% of adults have received at least one dose. Health experts predict that the majority of the population will need to be vaccinated for herd immunity to be reached.

A recent OKCupid study suggested that people who display their vaccination status are 14% more likely to get a match.

Bumble is adding a "Vaccinated" badge that will display on users' profiles to signal to others that they are protected against COVID-19. Dating apps such as Bumble offer badges to feature values users have from lifestyle choices such as religion, politics, fitness, to their astrology sign, and display on a person's profile.

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The company is also offering users who activate the badge complimentary credits for premium features, such as Spotlight and SuperSwipe.

Dallas-based Match Group, which owns a number of dating apps including Tinder, Hinge, Match, Plenty of Fish, OkCupid, BLK, the largest dating app for Black singles, and Latino dating site Chispa, is offering a range of ways to display vaccination status. For example, Tinder will let users add stickers that say "I'm Vaccinate" or "Vaccines Save Lives" and will give people a "Super Like." Match will also have "Vaccinated" badges and a free "boost" which increases a profile's visibility

Bumble and Match Group have been adjusting and adding features throughout the pandemic.

Amid stay-at-home orders and social distancing, virtual dating tools such as video chats have taken off, and dating apps have continued to see user growth as app users looked for ways to safely connect, date, and stave off boredom.

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The companies added pandemic-friendly features and events to encourage users to not just meet, but to actively conduct dates both online and via their apps.

More: PANDEMIC DATING: Outbreak has dating app makers like Austin’s Bumble adjusting their tools to fit the new normal

Last year, Bumble debuted a video chat and voice call feature. Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd also wrote a letter encouraging users to take all their dates virtual to avoid spreading the virus. At the time it also launched a "virtual dating" badge to signal the user is open to video dating, and allowed users to match with anyone in the United States rather than just within 50 miles of their location.

Bumble has also let users choose dating preferences related to COVID-19 such as masked, and unmasked, visual or in person, crowded or uncrowded, and indoor or outdoor. It also directs users to the World Health Organization for more information.

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Bumble also went public this year amid the pandemic, with a $2.5 billion IPO in February, the biggest in Austin history.

The company, which operates Bumble and Badoo, also reported a significant growth in revenue and number of paying users in 2020, as people turned to dating apps for social connection.

Match Group also launched a number of features across its platforms including video chat features, buttons to signal users are open to a virtual date and held virtual happy hours and other events. Match also launched a free hotline for daters to chat live with an expert about their quarantined dating questions and concerns.

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The companies newest initiatives come as vaccine demand drops in Texas and around the country in recent months as the country continues to work towards herd immunity. Vaccination rates in Texas and Austin have slowed in recent weeks, and the state has reported an increase in spoiled doses since April when a peak of 1.8 million doses were given.

In Texas, 51.29% of the population that is 12 years of age and older have received at least one dose, and 40.96% are fully vaccinated. In Travis County, 63.32% have received at least one dose, and 50.77% are fully vaccinated.

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