The desire for that special human connection and a significant other hasn’t waned during the pandemic but has actually increased tremendously. Singles, some for the first time, are turning to matchmakers and dating services even as virtual dating becomes the norm. This year when the usual ways of meeting people vanished and the pandemic took over our "social lives" or eliminated it completely, Long Island Matchmaking turned to virtual dating. Really just a continuation of what we are already doing for our clients with one extra caveat, we do all of our introductions and photo shoots on hikes, safely, and one on one outdoors.

Our company has had record numbers of lonely singles looking for someone to enrich their lives, reach out to us for our professional coaching, content creation, introductions, and assistance. Dating in the age of COVID-19 is simpler in some ways, yet in addition to the regular fear of rejection, there’s now also the fear of infection. That does not mean that people are not dating, it just means we are doing so with a little more distance between us.

Long Island Matchmaking is a luxury dating service for commitment-minded singles based in Long Island and we are busier than ever this year, with another marriage taking place so just a few weeks go. People are taking a good look at their lives and many have reassessed things in their lives, and realize that relationships are their number one priority.

Local public health experts are not discouraging people from dating as long as they do it safely. Everything we do has risks and benefits. It’s completely reasonable to date if the benefits, such as social interaction, outweigh the risks, such as underlying medical conditions. Loneliness can be a major concern for many who are alone during the pandemic.

Health experts recommend virtual dating as the safest way for people to engage with each other, especially for singles who have health conditions. It’s also a way to learn about potential partners routines and interactions, given we are in the tail end of a once in a century pandemic.