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I can’t even count how many times I’ve tried to grab tickets to a concert or cop some sneakers convinced it will be the day I finally manage to hit refresh at the perfect time and enter my personal information with flawless precision only to have my hopes and dreams crushed like Giles Corey at the end of The Crucible when I walk away empty-handed.
However, after decades of disappointment, my luck finally changed last month after I managed to secure what is easily the hottest drop of 2021 and arguably the ultimate grail: the COVID-19 vaccine.
I finally got a chance to experience what Charlie must have felt like when he found a golden ticket inside a Wonka bar when I walked out of the spot where I got my first shot with the card documenting the injection in hand. Sure, I felt like Uncle Joe when I spent a good chunk of the following day in bed thanks to the side effects, but I can’t say I have any regrets.
On Tuesday, Joe Biden announced the United States is on track to produce enough vaccines for every adult in the country by the end of May. I obviously can’t wait for most Americans to get inoculated and return to whatever “normal” is going to look like, but I’m not going to miss out on the opportunity to flex a bit while I have the chance.
If you’re lucky enough to be in the same boat and looking to get back on the market after a year of virtual dating, you might want to update your Tinder bio ASAP.
According to Business Insider, Tinder, Bumble, and other dating apps and websites have seen a noticeable increase in the number of people throwing some variation of “vaccine” in their profile, and it seems users who’ve gotten it are a distinct advantage when it comes to attracting the interest of someone else looking for some in-person human interaction.
. In addition to anecdotal evidence that suggests it increases your chances of getting a match, a representative from OkCupid told the outlet, “Not only is the vaccine becoming the biggest talking point on dating apps, it’s actually becoming a huge deal-breaker,” saying 40% of its younger users would refuse to see someone who refuses to get one.
Of course, there’s no way for apps to make people prove they’ve been vaccinated before throwing it into their bio, but you can still ask potential dates to show you some proof before agreeing to meet up in person. The shots seem to be incredibly effective when it comes to both protecting you from infection and minimizing serious symptoms if you do contract the illness, but it’s worth noting they’re basically COVID condoms; even though the risk is reduced, the vaccine isn’t a silver bullet, so you’ll want to keep that in mind when you start getting your swipe on.