COUPLES WHO QUARANTINE TOGETHER
The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday on how newly acquainted romantic couples are dealing with stay-at-home regulations. Once upon a time, the question was “Will you go steady with me?” Nowadays, it is “Will you ride out this worldwide pandemic with me?” Writer Jocelyn Silver interviewed couples in London, New York City, and Los Angeles who had been together for as little as a few weeks before deciding to cohabitate for the duration of the lockdown. The amorous experiment has met with varying degrees of success. Some of the partners are on cloud nine, while one of the pairs broke up twice in the first three days of quarantine.
CNBC describes how online dating apps such as Hinge and Bumble are seeing a surge of activity at this time. With most of the world’s restaurants and coffee shops closed, first dates are commonly taking place via web conferencing apps like Zoom. Bumble, in particular, offers in-app video chats.
On the flip side of the coin, many long-term couples who quarantine together have encountered unprecedented challenges to their relationships. Divorce rates in China, for example, have skyrocketed as people who have been locked down for months emerge from their quarantine.