The novel coronavirus may have forced people into physical isolation, but it has not stopped people from trying to romantically connect with others. It appears, in fact, that love in the time of COVID-19 is virtually booming.
That's according to data provided by online dating app Tinder. The West Hollywood-based company says that starting mid-March -- as the numbers of those infected with the novel virus began to climb and many people were ordered to stay home -- daily messages were up 10-15% compared to the week prior in the U.S.
Hollywood's Army of Craftspeople Take on COVID-19: 'We're the MacGyvers of This Industry'
The glorified version of a nation at war evokes people coming together, contributing to something larger than themselves however they can, and collectively willing a victory in pursuit of a worthy cause.
Though the coronavirus is no traditional enemy, this feels like war. The battles rage in hospital rooms, biomedical labs and ICUs. The heroic soldiers don scrubs and wield microscopes. Meanwhile, the cloistered public tries to keep calm and carry on.
Here are the latest headlines regarding how the novel coronavirus is impacting the Los Angeles startup and tech communities. Sign up for our newsletter and follow dot.LA on Twitter for the latest updates.
Today:
- Coronavirus cases surge in L.A. County, nine deaths reported
- Mayor Garcetti warns it may be "at least two months" in which they'll be quarantined
- U.S. unemployment figures soar to 3.3. million, California tops 1 million claims
- NBCUniversal chief Jeff Shell tells staff he has coronavirus