Dating isn't any safer if you're tested regularly for the coronavirus, according to an expert

• Some people are getting tested for COVID-19 before they go on dates to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
• According to Dr. Sandra Kesh, an infectious disease specialist, getting tested regularly for COVID-19 as part of your dating life is a waste of resources.
• "The only people who should be tested regularly are people who are like working in nursing homes and healthcare workers," Kesh told Insider.
• Instead, people dating during the pandemic should ask partners about their social distancing practices and size of their social circles.

Dating during the pandemic has been a nightmare for many people, especially for singles trying to get creative on dating apps. From awkward Zoom dates to months of forced celibacy, the pandemic has proven to be challenging for those looking to find their special someone (or someones).

Some people have tried to stay safe by relying on regular testing for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

But unless you have a high-exposure job, this could be a waste of time and tests, according to Dr. Sandra Kesh, an infectious disease specialist and Deputy Medical Director at WestMed.

"The only people who should be tested regularly are people who are working in nursing homes and healthcare workers," Kesh told Insider.

Tests may not tell you if you have COVID-19 at the time of your date

While there are multiple types of COVID-19 tests available, none of the results are foolproof.

"It doesn't tell you what's going to happen next week," Kesh told Insider. "It doesn't tell you whether you had the infection last week and you no longer are shedding enough virus to make the test turn positive."

If you got tested today with no symptoms, you could still be contagious by the time you go on your date.

Asymptomatic cases, in particular, are hard to detect with PCR tests, according to Kesh. So even if you are getting tested before every date, you can't rely entirely on your results.

The only people who should be getting tested regularly are healthcare workers and those in high-risk jobs

According to Kesh, the only people who should regularly get tested are those who have to come into contact with COVID-19 and those with high-risk jobs.

People who work in nursing homes, medical professionals, frontline workers, and anyone who shows symptoms for COVID-19 should get tested, she said.

"The concern is that we take the testing away from the people who really need it because they're symptomatic or they are in a high-risk setting and offering it to people who, really, their day to day risk is very, very low," Kesh told Insider.

Ask your dates what their social circles look like and how they have been social distancing

If you plan on dating, talking to your potential suitor is far more effective than getting regularly testing.

Kesh recommends asking about their social circle, how they socially distance, what they do for a living, and if they wear a mask.

If you practice non-monogamy, Kesh suggests limiting your dating circle for the time being because of the amount of people you could be exposed to.

"This is the time to be limited and be cautious with who you have contact with, and make sure that everyone's being safe," Kesh said.

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