Dating apps team up to make vaccinating hot in US

WASHINGTON: Vaxxing, not waxing is the new must-do before a hot date, with dating apps joining the White House on Friday to promote Covid-19 shots.

Tinder, Hinge, Match, OkCupid, BLK, Chispa, Plenty of Fish, Bumble, and Badoo are all adding vaccination status to the more expected details on dating profiles as part of a rollout over the next few weeks.

Getting the shot may also do more for lovers than keep them healthy, the White House said in a statement.

"According to research from OKCupid, people who are vaccinated or plan to get vaccinated receive 14 percent more Matches than people who don't plan to get vaccinated," it revealed.

Among the extra incentives being offered by Tinder, for example, is access to the "Super Like" feature to "help them stand out among potential matches," the White House said.

The apps include BLK, which is targeted at African Americans, and Chispa, which is largely used by the Hispanic community.

"These companies join organizations across the country that have answered the president's call by stepping up and offering incentives and information to help Americans get vaccinated," the White House said in a statement.

More than 60 percent of US adults have received at least one vaccine shot. President Joe Biden has set a goal of July 4 for that number to reach 70 percent.