It’s been 55 days since Colorado went under the stay-at-home order.
It’s since been relaxed to safer-at-home, but that hasn’t made looking for love any easier. For people across the state, navigating love in the age of Tinder and Bumble was already difficult. Add in a pandemic that means there’s no opportunity to meet a potential partner at a bar or restaurant, that gets really hard. And if two people do find a spark, the couple then has to decide if it’s worth meeting in-person, or if they keep it to video chat dates — and for how long. A matchmaking company with offices in Denver called It’s Just Lunch centers on the philosophy that in-person connections are necessary to form good relationships. During COVID-19, matchmaker Hope Rike has been setting her clients up on virtual dates instead, and she’s found that it’s working really well for people. “Clients are getting to know that other person so much better because they don't yet have that physical aspect of it complicating things, or maybe rushing things,” Rike said. “When things slow down, it can allow more time for self-reflection. And not only self-reflection but relationship reflection — like, what is really important to me in a partner.” After the video dates, Rike’s couples can choose to meet-up in person. She recommends that they maintain social distance practices, like wearing masks, staying six feet apart and going on dates in the outdoors where there’s plenty of space. https://wp-cpr.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2020/05/LoveIsNotCancelled.jpg Courtesy of Hope RikeThe desk of Denver matchmaker Hope Rike, who is keeping the mindset of "love is not canceled" during quarantine.
But how long is a couple supposed to maintain that distance? State and federal public health agencies haven’t created a manual on what’s OK and what isn’t OK when it comes to risk management during the pandemic or even guidelines on when and how to meet-up with others. Julia Marcus, professor of population medicine at Harvard Medical School, wrote about quarantine fatigue for The Atlantic and argued that people need a guide on how to have a life in a pandemic. Without one that allows individuals to assess their risk with the appropriate information, they’re left to make decisions on their own. While the message is that it’s safer to stay away from other people, especially those who you don’t usually interact with, it doesn’t mean that the need for human connection has gone away. “Love is not canceled,” Rike said. “I write that in my planner every day. I put that up on my wall. We have to remember that more than ever we need love and more than ever, people want love and want to have that connection.” Here are 6 people in Colorado navigating love, break-ups, self-improvement and dating during the pandemic. |
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