Social distancing and dating

[BirdieFriendReturns]

Suppose we are in lockdown / social distancing for a year. How will new relationships form? No sex with a partner you don’t live with and no new relationships.

It’ll be interesting to see how the birth rate declines.

Honestly? Outside of MN, where apparently everybody wanted to avoid socialising with anyone even before Coronavirus, only really wants to spend time with “their own little family”, doesn’t like going out, and only drinks at Christmas; I think things are very different. Once the go-ahead is given (and it won’t be a year, it really won’t) for people to be able to start socialising again then most people will - particularly young, healthy people and including dating, kissing, going to the pub when they reopen etc. Everyone I know (late twenties to mid forties, London-based, sociable party lifestyles and careers which mean we’re pretty good at assessing and taking our own risks) will be doing just that.

Single parents and older or unhealthy people might take a while to brave dating again, but I imagine they’ll follow suit eventually.

I’ve been wondering this. I’m in lockdown with STBXH and we can’t separate officially until our house sale goes through. Things are so miserable that I do look forward to one day going on dates and doing exciting things and yes I’m a person that loves socialising, pubs, restaurants, drinks etc. Once I eventually get a place on my own i hope to venture into OLD and try a few socially distanced dates. But it would have been nice to have a bit more freedom than that to go further and I need my elderly parents for childcare so that is a worry. I mean, I love them and don’t want to give them the virus of course! But I also need them close to us so how can I get close to new dates whilst it’s a risk?

Hospitality opens up from 1 July. So that is meet for a coffee or meal. Online dating until then.