Face Masks, Doggy Style And No Kissing: The Rules For Having Sex In A Pandemic

A leading sexual health charity has set out recommendations to reduce the risk of catching Covid-19 during sex, stating asking people to abstain indefinitely is no longer realistic. The rules include wearing face coverings, avoiding kissing and choosing positions where you are not face to face.

The Terrence Higgins Trust published the advice on managing risk today after their research showed that people were initially following social-distancing rules and abstaining from sex with new partners in March, but after several months of lockdown and partial easing it was no longer credible to expect the public to avoid sex entirely.

Maintaining that abstaining from sex is the best way to protect yourself from Covid-19, and encouraging people to engage in self-pleasure or only have sex with people in their household, the charity said masturbation, sex toys or phone and online sex are the safest options and highly recommended.

‘We’re clear that abstaining from sex is the best way to protect yourself from coronavirus, but we hope by issuing this advice we will help people to manage the risks of Covid-19 while also being able to have and enjoy sex,’ Dr Michael Brady, the charity’s medical director, said in a statement.

However, if someone chooses to have sex with another person outside their household, they advise havingone regular partner or limiting your number of sexual partners. They also state that potential sexual partners should discuss the virus and understand the symptoms.

As well as their advice on communication, the Trust advises using condoms and advises against oral sex since the virus is thought to be found in some bodily fluids. Although, in one apparent win for the ladies, oral sex on men may be higher risk than women.

‘The virus has been found in semen and faeces, but it doesn’t appear that sex is a common way for COVID-19 to spread,’ the Trust stated in their blog. ‘However, because of its presence in semen and faeces, blow jobs and rimming may present an increased risk of infection and, obviously, physical contact during sex increases the risk of COVID-19.'

'Our knowledge of Covid is growing daily,' a spokesperson for the Terrence Higgins Trust told Grazia. 'The virus has been found in semen and faeces but not so far in vaginal fluid, and we still don’t know if it can be passed sexually. Ultimately the biggest risk factor for the spread of Covid is the close contact needed for sex.’

That being said, it’s better to be safe than sorry and either abstain or use dental dams in oral sex. But what about the rest of the recommendations; can women even have good sex in these conditions? According to the women we spoke to, that would be a resounding 'no'...

‘I can’t imagine wearing face coverings for even 30 seconds during sex, your face would get so hot and sweaty and it would be so distracting,’ says Nadia, 25, from Essex. ‘Kissing is a crucial part of sex for me and only doing non-face-to-face positions? It would feel so impersonal. I’d feel like a rag doll being used.’

Kate, 28, agrees. ‘There is no way I’d be able to orgasm in these conditions, I need to be kissed during sex or I wouldn’t be turned on,’ she says. ‘I’m not a blow up doll or a hole that you can just use for an orgasm. I’d rather not have sex than have to do it in these conditions.’

Sophie, 30, on the other hand, was more open to the advice. ‘I have quite a few sexual partners that I tend to rotate and for some of them this would be fine but others it would ruin the moment. Some already barely kiss and the sex is quite impersonal anyway, whereas others are more intimate.

‘I’m quite anxious about Covid so these would make me feel better if I was desperate for sex, plus you could explore positions you may not have tried. But to be honest, I find the more personal, intimate sex better for orgasm so I doubt I would climax following these rules.’

Niamh, 26, was also more open to the idea of wearing masks but ultimately, she wouldn’t enjoy this type of sex either. ‘Wearing a mask would be fun for some people I guess if you’re already into gags or blindfolds,’ she says. ‘But with a new partner I would want to build trust and wearing a mask might make me feel less connected.’

Ultimately, she says, she’s more likely to tell them to isolate for a week beforehand than implement any of these recommendations. ‘These are all good ideas in theory, I just don’t think I would do them in practice,’ she continues. ‘If you’ve decided to have sex with someone outside your bubble, you’ve already have decided to take that risk. In the heat of the moment, surely you would just forget or get carried away. It’s like condoms - people know they shouldn’t have unprotected sex but that’s not always the reality.’

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