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  • sex-covid-19-physical-distancing
  1. Coronavirus
  2. Sex & Physical Distancing

Sex, COVID-19 & Physical Distancing

Coronavirus is changing life for all of us. It is also making people wonder if it’s safe to date or have sex during the coronavirus pandemic.

COVID-19 is a new illness that affects your lungs and airways. We need to protect ourselves, and others. We need to quickly stop it from spreading further.

Doctors and community activists produced the information below. It included PrEP doctors, the British HIV Association, HIV Scotland, the British Association for Sexual Health & HIV (BASHH), i-Base and PrEPster. This will help you make informed choices that are right for you.

The Government advice talks about social distancing. We’ll refer to social distancing as physical distancing. Reducing physical contact with people will reduce transmission of COVID-19. We need to strengthen our social connections through other means.

Physical distancing is going to be hard for everyone. Physical distancing will be different for everybody. Most importantly, you should do what you can to maintain your mental wellbeing as well as your physical health.

Globally, people are being asked to stop hooking up in person.

That’s because it involves meeting new people, or people you don’t live with and we’re trying to stop the spread of COVID-19.  Please take this into account when making decisions about meeting partners, and sex. This guidance is designed to stop the spread of coronavirus. Even if you don’t have symptoms, you might be passing it on to other people.

You should always consider the groups of people who are most at risk of acquiring COVID-19, and having a severe illness, when making decisions about the sex you might be having. Check out NHS Inform’s website for who these groups include. Guidance from the Scottish Government can be found by clicking here.

This information has been pulled together at pace, and things are changing rapidly. If you want to discuss the content, or think something should be added - email us at [email protected] 

Can I have sex during the outbreak?

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Globally, people are being asked to stop hooking up in person to prevent COVID-19 transmissions.

You can have sex, but you might want to think about the impact of COVID-19 on you and your partners, and take extra precautions to lower the risk of STIs whilst the NHS might not be able to test or treat you as quickly as you’re used to.

The advice for physical distancing is designed to stop the spread of COVID-19. It involves reducing physical contact to break the onward transmission of COVID-19. Even if you don’t get the symptoms, or get mild symptoms – you might pass it on to someone who could get far more severe symptoms.

There is much more to sex, romance and attraction than just physical contact. You might want to get acquainted with new partners through technology, or open your bottom drawer and use the toys you bought but haven’t got around to using yet. There are lots of options to maintaining your sex drive and ensuring you get pleasure to keep your mental wellbeing strong.

Don’t forget that masturbating can be a good source of comfort in this time of stress – your safest sexual partner is yourself!

IMPORTANT: If you, someone you live with, or someone you’ve had sex with recently has had symptoms of COVID-19 (these include a new cough or fever) then we are advising that you should self-isolate for 14 days to prevent further transmissions. Self-isolating means no physical contact – so no physical sex.

Published: 23rd March, 2020

Updated: 11th June, 2020

Author: Deleted User

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Can coronavirus be sexually transmitted?

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We do not know if COVID-19 can be spread through vaginal or anal sex. We know that other coronaviruses do not easily spread through sex. This means sex is not likely a common way that COVID-19 spreads.

However, if you’re close enough to have sex it’s likely that you’re close enough to transmit COVID-19 through water droplets. Kissing is one of the main routes of infection for COVID-19. 

Even if you don’t kiss your partner, COVID-19 can be transmitted through breathing near each other – and you’re likely to be touching the same surfaces as other people in the bedroom. It is also likely that COVID-19 can be found in some other bodily fluids. 

Published: 23rd March, 2020

Updated: 11th June, 2020

Author: Deleted User

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Can I keep having sex with an existing partner that I live with?

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If you’re living with someone and sharing a bed with them, it doesn’t really matter if you’re having sex. If one of you has or has had COVID-19, then the other will have been exposed to it.

If you two want to have sex, then you shouldn’t let fears of coronavirus get in the way.  

Regardless, if one of you has symptoms, or tests positive, you should follow guidance on self-isolation.

Published: 23rd March, 2020

Author: Deleted User

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Can I keep having sex with an existing partner that I don’t live with?

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Globally, people are being asked to stop hooking up in person. That’s because we all need to play our part in preventing transmission of COVID-19 – especially to people who might get serious ill from it. You shouldn’t be travelling unless necessary or urgent. If you do have sex with others outside your household, there are ways to reduce risk of COVID-19.

  • If you do have sex with others outside of your household, have as few partners as possible and pick partners you trust. Talk about COVID-19 risk factors, just as you would discuss PrEP, condoms, and other safer sex topics. Ask them about COVID-19 before you hook up.
    • Do they have symptoms or have they had symptoms in the last 14 days? Most people with COVID-19 have symptoms, but asymptomatic spread is possible. Fever, cough, sore throat, and shortness of breath are symptoms to ask about. Note that asking about symptoms is not a perfect way to know whether someone has COVID-19.
    • Have they been diagnosed with COVID-19 using a nasal swab or saliva test? People who have recovered from COVID-19 at least 10 days from the day their symptoms started and who have not had fever for at least three days are likely no longer infectious.
    • Be inventive to reduce the risk.
      • Masturbate together, using physical distancing (2 metres of more) and face masks to reduce risk
      • Be creative with sexual positions and physical barriers, like walls, that allow sexual contact but eliminate face to face contact
    • If two is company then three (or more) is definitely a crowd. Large gatherings of any type are not safe during COVID-19. Close contact with multiple people should be avoided. But, if you decide to find a crowd, below are tips to reduce your risk of spreading or getting COVID-19:
      • Limit the size of your guest list. Keep it intimate.
      • Go with a consistent sex partner.
      • Pick larger, more open, and well-ventilated spaces.
      • Wear a face covering, avoid kissing, and do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
      • Bring an alcohol-based hand sanitiser.
      • Washing your hands before and after sex is more important than ever.
      • Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
      • Wash sex toys with soap and warm water

Having antibodies against the virus that causes COVID-19 or a prior positive diagnostic test do not mean definite immunity. Use test results with caution in helping you make decisions about sex.

You might also consider jumping on the phone or video call with your partner for now to limit the risk of transmitting COVID-19. Our friends at PrEPster shared their favourite guide to sex during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can find it by clicking here.

Thanks to NYC Health for their updated guidance, some of which we've used here.

Published: 23rd March, 2020

Updated: 11th June, 2020

Author: Deleted User

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I don't feel comfortable meeting new people, but I want to date

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Staying at home for days is a great time to spruce up your dating profiles and meet new people - as some businesses open back up in limited capacity, you may be keen to go and meet new people and go on dates. Guidance advices that you only interact with one other household per day, and that you should still follow strict physical distancing rules (2 metres apart).

You could try video chatting or getting deep into long messages. Jump over onto Netflix Party to watch a film together or when it comes to sex, turn your camera on to record when you’re playing with toys. You can then look forward to the opportunity to meet up and play skin-to-skin in future.

Phone sex might float your boat, or exchanging pictures – but remember that you don’t want them shared with the world so maybe don’t pose with your face/tattoos in them.

Our friends at PrEPster shared their favourite guide to sex during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can find it by clicking here.

If you’re planning to meet up with someone, remember it is reasonable to cancel if either of you have symptoms (a new cough or a fever).

IMPORTANT: You should also consider the latest government advice on travelling.

Published: 23rd March, 2020

Updated: 11th June, 2020

Author: Deleted User

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Do you have any tips for maintaining social contact whilst distancing to prevent COVID-19?

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While lockdown eases for now across the UK, you should keep up to date with current guidelines relevant to where you live. Guidelines change frequently, and knowing what we can and can’t do is the best way to stop the spread of COVID-19.

We can now, in some form, meet up with friends and family outside, in limited capacity. If this isn’t possible for you, you might want to do something good in your community -  you could either help out your neighbours who might still be shielding/self-isolating. Let them know you’re available to help or just for a chat (2 metres apart!).

Other people turn to gaming (which often involves other players online), reading, learning a new language or getting on YouTube to learn a new at-home fitness routine.

Many people need some form of touch or human contact – and that shouldn’t be treated as a failure, and you shouldn’t feel shame. Just make sure you can do it as safely as possible for you and those around you.

Published: 23rd March, 2020

Updated: 11th June, 2020

Author: Deleted User

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How can I make sex as safe as possible from STIs?

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There are a number of ways to have safer sex. 

If you are HIV negative, and you’re looking to prevent HIV:

  • having sex with partners who have HIV and an undetectable viral load means there is no way of transmitting HIV.
  • PrEP is another option to prevent HIV, although if you’re not currently on PrEP you might have to wait a while to get it due to the pressure on the NHS. If you’d like to start quickly, you can buy PrEP online. To learn how to buy PrEP online, and start safely – check out PrEPsters website here.

Condoms can help prevent STIs and HIV, but you should remember that STIs such as syphilis, gonorrhoea and chlamydia can be transmitted through sucking, swallowing and rimming.

Remember that you might not be able to get an STI test as quickly as you might be used to. You can get a HIV Self-Test posted to you, for free, in discreet packaging, from HIV Self-Test Scotland.

If you are worried about pregnancy, you can find more information our about COVID-19 & Pregnancy by clicking here.

Published: 23rd March, 2020

Updated: 11th June, 2020

Author: Deleted User

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What if I need an STI test during the COVID-19 outbreak?

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If you’ve been at risk within the 72 hours, you might be able to prevent HIV infection by taking PEP (Post Exposure Prophylaxis). This is a course of medication that might prevent you becoming HIV-positive.  You need to start PEP ideally within 24 hours of the risk, and no later than 72 hours. The longer you wait, the less chance there is of PEP working.

You can get PEP from a sexual health clinic or hospital A&E department. A doctor will advise you if PEP is suitable for you based on the level of risk. For more information about PEP, click here.

If you need to access an STI test, you might have to wait a bit longer than you are used to. This is because many clinics are scaling back the level of testing to focus on people who are very sick. If you don’t have any symptoms, you might not be able to access a regular screening test

If you have symptoms for an STI, you should phone your nearest clinic. Use SX’s Service Finder to find your nearest sexual health service. Click here to head over to their page.

You can get a HIV Self-Test posted to you, for free, in discreet packaging, from HIV Self-Test Scotland.

Published: 23rd March, 2020

Updated: 11th June, 2020

Author: Deleted User

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