HSE links with dating apps to encourage young people to get Covid vaccine

The HSE has teamed up with dating apps and brands in a new campaign to encourage young people to sign-up for the Covid-19 vaccine when it becomes available to them.

The 'For Us All' campaign, which launched on Thursday in partnership with the Match Group dating platforms, will offer a series of benefits such as 'Super Likes' and other profile boosting features for Irish dating app users who want to show their support for the vaccine and match with people who have received the jab.

The health executive will work with online dating firms including Tinder, Match, OK Cupid, Hinge and Plenty of Fish throughout July to boost vaccine take-up among users, the HSE said in a statement.

Tinder users who get involved with the programme will be able to add stickers such as “vaccinated” or “vaccines save lives” to their profile while also receiving a free “super like” to “help them stand out among potential matches”, said the HSE.

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Tinder will also launch a vaccine centre link to educate members about the vaccination.

Match users will be able to add a badge to their profiles to display their vaccine status while those using OkCupid can add an ‘I’m Vaccinated’ badge while also featuring within the company’s ‘vaccinated’ stack of profiles, said the HSE.

Plenty of Fish members will be able to to add an ‘I Got the Jab’ badge to their profiles and those who take part will receive live credits for the app’s streaming feature.

HSE chief executive Paul Reid said the campaign would give dating app users information on the vaccine and peace of mind that the person they’re meeting has been vaccinated.

Alexandre Lubot, head of Match Group EMEA said widespread vaccination would be a “crucial element in getting back to our normal lives” and encouraged all users to get their jabs so they can “once again meet in real life and make meaningful connections”.

The HSE campaign follows a similar move in the US where a push was announced in May by the White House to encourage adults to sign up for their vaccination.

The US features included the ability to filter potential matches based on their vaccination status and access ‘super likes’ and ‘super swipes’.

The goal was to “help people meet people who have that universally attractive quality: they’ve been vaccinated against Covid-19,” said the White House in May.

A dating app campaign also launched in the UK in early June offering dating app users a greater stake in what has been described as the post-pandemic summer of love