The joint Madison and Dane County public health department is entering the world of online dating.
Not because it’s looking to meet other cute, single government agencies, but to better protect people from the scourge of sexually transmitted infections.
Public Health Madison and Dane County will send messages through the apps to the partners of people who test positive for STIs at agency clinics — with the goal of getting them on the phone to convince them to get tested themselves.
“As the dating landscape has changed, more people are meeting partners online,” Public Health spokesperson Morgan Finke said. “It’s just increasing our likelihood of reaching those partners by meeting them where they are.”
The messages will not contain information about the people who may have exposed them to an STI, and people will only be contacted through apps if the agency is able to confirm a profile matches a person who might have been exposed.
