Finding COVID-conscious Community
DISCLAIMER: This post is neither sponsored nor an ad.
There are many reasons why some folks never went “back to normal” in the years following 2020. Some of us are immunocompromised, have Long COVID from a previous infection, or take care of those who are at high risk. Others may simply know the risks associated with repeat infections and don’t feel like rolling the dice. Whatever your reason for practicing COVID (and other airborne illness) mitigation habits, you’ve likely struggled with finding like-minded people to connect with.
Traditional dating/friend-making apps can be a great place to start if you want to cast a wide net or live in a rural area. I’ve had success finding COVID-conscious friends using apps like Bumble BFF, as well as some other corners of the internet like COVID-conscious subreddits and Facebook groups. Of course, these are often targeted more at information sharing rather than making meaningful connections.
Combing through hundreds of Bumble profiles only to find one person who might be a match can be disheartening. I’ve thought to myself many times before “Why isn’t there a way to filter for only COVID-conscious people?”
There’s an app for that!
The app, called Refresh Connections (referred to herein as Refresh), is available for free on Android and iOS. There is a paid premium feature, but you truly do not need it to enjoy all of its primary functions. Set up much like any other human connection app, Refresh matches you with other folks with similar interests and goals. What makes this app unique and invaluable to people who are seeking COVID-conscious community, however, is its focus on airborne infectious disease safety.
When you sign up, Refresh asks you to create a profile consisting of a short bio, a few photos, and the types of relationships that you’re interested in establishing (e.g. friendships, serious or casual romantic relationships, business/professional connections, etc.). You are then asked a few questions around the types of precautions you take and your level of potential exposure, such as your work situation, if you eat at restaurants, and whether or not you have roommates.
And then you’re in! You’ll see your potential matches and can chat using the in-app messaging platform. You can also filter by location, age, prevention behaviors, sexual orientation and gender identity (they offer a pretty robust list of self-identity options), and relationship types. The filtering system can be fine-tuned here, if desired. You can hand-pick which identities you would like to see in your matches, as well as which identities you would like your profile to be shown to. This feature can be handy for safety reasons, but seeing as the app is currently largely inhabited by queer and disabled people like myself, I haven’t personally found a need to use it yet.
This app shows so much promise, and I sincerely hope that it continues to grow, but there is a major roadblock for me: the smaller user base. In my town, there are no active users. I’ve come to accept that I’ll be using Refresh mostly for establishing great virtual connections with like-minded folks. If you live in a larger city, however, you will likely have better luck finding local connections. I like to think of it as valuing match quality over quantity. Having fewer options to pick from, but a higher likelihood of establishing a lasting relationship (even if that relationship is long or medium distance) is invaluable, in my opinion.
I still think spreading the word about Refresh is a worthy endeavor. The more people who know about it, the more useful it can be for those like myself, who have been shuffled to the dark corners of society due to disability and accessibility issues, to find community among people who just get it.
Some other resources that I’ve found helpful in getting back to my own version of normal is utilizing masking and testing before, during, and/or after in-person meetups. There is absolutely nothing wrong with asking a friend if they are okay with wearing a mask while you hang out and/or both of you taking a test beforehand! If cost is a concern, there is a massive directory of mask blocs, which distribute free masks and COVID tests to those in need.
With the right resources, and a little bit of pre-planning, there are truly so many ways for us to stay connected and present while also protecting each other!
Harmony King (she/they) is a disability advocate, (sometimes) content creator, and a lifelong learner. Born disabled, she loves to use humor and art to call in able-bodied folks and get them thinking about their role in perpetuating ableism. When they aren’t in a pain flare, you can find them reading, writing, playing video games, crafting, or starting a shiny new hobby. You can find her on Threads, Bluesky, and Instagram.
About Rooted In Rights
Rooted in Rights exists to amplify the perspectives of the disability community. Blog posts and storyteller videos that we publish and content we re-share on social media do not necessarily reflect the opinions or values of Rooted in Rights nor indicate an endorsement of a program or service by Rooted in Rights. We respect and aim to reflect the diversity of opinions and experiences of the disability community. Rooted in Rights seeks to highlight discussions, not direct them. Learn more about Rooted In Rights
