Set the scene: after scavenging online dating sites and working with a matchmaker such as myself, searching for the person who has the same long term goals as you, you finally find said person. You go out on a few dates, and all is well, and you let yourself think, "Wow. Things are going great. I'm happy!" Then boom, out of nowhere, COVID-19 emerges as a worldwide pandemic, forcing you to self-isolate at home and ask: "What should I do about my new relationship?" Before I advise what you should do, I must first make clear what you shouldn't do.
Do not move in together.
Taking such a significant step so soon in a relationship is a disaster waiting to happen. It is possible one (or both) of you will get spooked by the overwhelming commitment of sharing a living space and being unable to escape considering the demands of social distancing. It is also possible you learn you are incompatible or that you actually can't stand each other. Or worse: that the person you are living with is abusive. Then what? Depending on where you live, you may not be able to leave.
For many people, taking this step is unfeasible anyway. If you have children, for example, you would probably be unable (and, hopefully, unwilling) to relocate your family to move in with someone you do not know that well. What about if you presently share your space with a roommate? Would that person be O.K. with you adding someone new to the household or leaving them high and dry for new digs?
Even if you don't have children, how exactly would the logistics of moving work? Packing up an entire house or apartment by yourself is extremely difficult under ordinary circumstances. Moreover, depending on your situation, how would you expect to sell, sublet, or re-let your home on short notice and during a pandemic no less? I don't know many real estate agents who would be willing to take the unnecessary risk of visiting strangers' homes or hosting open houses. Virtual tours only go so far.
In a nutshell, if you are thinking about living together to save your new relationship, stop. For most of us, moving during a pandemic doesn't make sense and, even if you were living in last month's world, moving in with one another would probably have destroyed your relationship anyway because it was too soon. "So, now what?" you ask. "Does this mean the coronavirus will ruin my chance at happiness?" Thankfully, no.
You don't need to break up.
Saying that the coronavirus sucks is an understatement, but that doesn't mean you should let it destroy all that is good in the world, including your new relationship. Think about it this way: are you cutting off all of your friends because you won't be able to see them for the time being? I certainly hope not. So why should you break off your new relationship just when things are going so well? The short answer is you shouldn't. But you do need to make a few adjustments.
Apply the rules of social distancing to your relationship.
First, check with the decrees of the area in which you live. If you live in a more rural area, it may be in your interest to go out for walks together (six feet apart from each other, of course!). However, if you live in a major metropolitan area such as New York City, going outside might not be feasible for you right now.
The reality is you will very possibly end up treating your relationship like it is a long-distance one, even if you only live around the block from each other. It will require you to be more creative with date ideas, as they would all have to take place online. Off the top of my head, you could watch a movie together over Skype, play trivia games together if you have gaming consoles, start a book club, or, if you want to get more intimate, you could experiment over the phone. Enough said there.
I won't lie: a digital long-distance relationship is not going to be the same as one in the physical world, but, given the strange and extreme circumstances surrounding COVID-19, you don't have a choice in the matter. This global health crisis need not be permanent and, in the scheme of things, will be short-lived if we do what we are supposed to and all work together. If your relationship is meant to be, it will persevere. Love is worth the wait.