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The COVID-19 outbreak has had a huge impact on the dating scene. In a survey conducted by LloydsPharmacy in September 2020, over half of people who answered dating questions said that the lockdown has affected their dating behaviour. A third said the thought of catching COVID-19 made them anxious about dating. At the height of the coronavirus, there was a huge trend for single people moving quicker than ever before, with new couples opting to move in together very early in the relationship to avoid breaching Government rules and regulations. These types of changes, however, are likely to revert should things return to normal, but there are a few changes that could be here to stay. 1. Virtual Becomes the Norm. Online and virtual dating are now widely accepted as the new norm. More singles have turned to online dating as a means of dating during the pandemic. Video dates - which act as a way of ‘pre-screening’ potential partners prior to meeting up, are also increasingly popular. By 2035, research suggests that the UK will reach the "tipping point" with more than 50% of relationships beginning online. 2. Connections, Not Sex. One of the biggest changes taking place as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak is that relationships are becoming more firmly rooted in connections, rather than sex. With sex off the table due to social distancing regulations, people have more time to talk, building deeper and more meaningful connections. Many take their time before meeting up. 3. Creative Dating. Dinner and a movie… It’s been the classic go-to date option for decades. But from now on, we can reasonably expect to see people becoming more creative over how and where they spend time together. In the wake of COVID-19, there was a trend for daters to having dine online, video-calling one another while they ate. Once leisure and hospitality venues are fully open, personal preference will play a big role. Perhaps someone doesn’t want to spend hours in a busy cinema. Everyone will naturally have their own unique comfort zone. 4. Dating with Intention. This doesn’t necessarily mean dating with a view to marriage and kids, but more to dating with focus. Many have been spending more time alone, giving them time to reflect and think about what they really want and what is really important in life. There is likely to be more niche dating sites for singles looking for serious and promising relationships. 5. Dating Safely. Perhaps one of the biggest things to come out of the pandemic is a trend for safer dating. People are more careful about who they interact and engage with. Research by UserTesting found that demand for strong verification processes for online dating was growing, noting that ‘many daters… wanted apps to take more steps to verify each person’s identity prior to allowing them to use the service’ to avoid being catfished. DateSmart, is one such dating site that verifies all users through a valid existing Government photo ID.