The coronavirus outbreak could lead to a “massive increase” in the use of online dating platforms, as single people seek alternatives to meeting potential romantic partners in shuttered bars, restaurants, and workplaces.

Dr. Ashley Arn, a psychologist who co-founded CrucialHabits.com with her husband, told Breitbart News that she expects online dating to expand once the initial shock of the pandemic passes.

“There is nothing like a crisis to make you realize how important it is to have a partner in a crisis,” she explained.

While it may be harder — and riskier — to arrange casual hook-ups through apps like Tinder, people will continue using online dating websites and apps — and could start to invest in more committed relationships.

“There will be a lot more phone time and virtual dates through FaceTiming,” she said. “People are going to build a connection, and sometime down the line, after they are sure they are not symptomatic, they will meet up one-on-one.”

Dr. Arn suggested that first dates could happen on outdoor walks, rather than in crowded places.

“Social distancing needs to happen, but we don’t have to limit our exposure to fresh air,” she said. “People can try meeting up for a walk in a safe area.

“Dates that would have normally happened in a bar or a restaurant, now will happen outdoors.”

She predicted more successful relationships, as “hook-up culture” declined.

“People are going to stress compatibility rather than lusty chemistry, building an emotional connection in a time of crisis,” Dr. Arn explained.

“More than ever, people are going to be in committed relationships.”

Online dating is only one industry that expects to expand. Tele-medicine is becoming an integral part of the administration’s plan to fight coronavirus, as are food delivery services and tele-conferencing services.

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He earned an A.B. in Social Studies and Environmental Science and Public Policy from Harvard College, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. He is also the co-author of How Trump Won: The Inside Story of a Revolution, which is available from Regnery. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.