Is It Safe To Have Sex During Covid Pandemic? Do's And Don'ts That We Better Know

Based on current evidence, the novel coronavirus is not present in sexual fluids of anyone carrying the infection. This means the virus doesn't pass on to another person through sexual fluids involved in intercourse. 

However, the infection is transmitted through contact with droplets from the nose and mouth, including the saliva of an infected person, meaning there is a significant risk of contracting COVID-19 through kissing and physical intimacy. And there is evidence that the virus is present in faeces.

Here's Q&A on all the sex-related queries in the time of coronavirus:

Q: What is considered "safe sex" right now?

A: The risk of contracting the infection starts as soon as someone gets within 6 feet of you. (And of course, if you do have sex, your risk for pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases remains the same, and the previous definition of “safe sex” still applies.)

You’ve read this elsewhere: COVID-19 is transmitted by droplet nuclei, specks of infectious material far too small to see. They are sprayed from the nose and mouth by breathing, talking, coughing and sneezing.

A person contracts the virus sharing the same airspace — a 6-foot radius, the distance droplet nuclei are believed to travel (although with coughing they may travel farther) — and inhaling the infectious particles. Or the droplet nuclei land on an object or surface, making it infectious. Touch that surface and then your face and the chain of transmission is complete.

If you do have sex with someone, who is infected with the coronavirus, there is nothing we can recommend, be it showering head to toe with soap before and immediately after sex, or using condoms, to reduce your risk of infection. We don’t know if the coronavirus is present in vaginal secretions or ejaculate, but it has been identified in the stool.

Q: Who are the safest partners?

A: It’s the best to limit sex to your spouse who should also follow the recommendations for hand hygiene and social distancing. The World Health Organization (WHO) currently lists the risk of household transmission as 3% to 10%, but this is based on preliminary data. We don’t know what role kissing or sexual activity plays in transmission.

The idea of limiting sexual contact to your partner and social distancing, in general, is about ending the chain of transmission to your household should one person be infected.

If your spouse is sick and shows symptoms of COVID-19, or has been exposed, not having sex is the best advice one could think of. They may be too fatigued anyway, but your risk of being infected will likely go up due to the intimate contact. Sleep in separate bedrooms if possible.

If you have more than one bathroom, designate one for the exposed person. Try to stay 6 feet apart and be fastidious about disinfecting surfaces. If they were exposed, living as separate as possible in your home for 14 days is recommended.

Q: What if I’m in a new relationship and had planned to get other STD testing done?

A: Many labs are overwhelmed with coronavirus testing, so you may not get results for some STDs — like gonorrhoea, chlamydia and herpes — as quickly as before. Given the short supply of test kits for COVID-19, sampling kits for genital infections may also be in short supply.

Ask your doctor because workflows may vary locally and may change day-to-day. But if you are at the risk of an STD, you should still seek out a test as soon as possible.

Q: What if I don’t have a Husband? Am I now celibate?

A: Yes, I’m sorry to say, those are the recommendations. For now. But this doesn’t mean you can’t meet people online — start talking on the phone, have video chats, if that’s your thing.

And if someone you meet online is encouraging you to meet in person? Not only does that tell you how they view their safety, but also and more importantly, how they view yours.

Q: Is it safe to buy new sex toys?

A: It appears that a lot of vibrators are on sale. Is this a good time to take advantage of a deal and the extra time on your hands? Paying electronically is safer than an in-store purchase: Paying online means no one is physically handling a credit card or cash. Does your online purchase of a non-essential, a vibrator is a “want,” not a “need” put someone else at increased risk? Workers at large warehouses where social distancing isn’t possible may be at increased risk, especially if they don’t have sick pay, so taking time off if exposed isn’t possible.

Q: What will safe sex look like in the future?

A: Right now the only safe sex is no sex with partners outside your household. If you or your spouse is at high risk, take extra precautions to further reduce the risk of transmission by giving up sex and kissing, and sleeping in separate bedrooms. In case one of you has an asymptomatic infection, asking your doctor for guidance is probably wise.

Q. But what about when we emerge from our homes again — which may be some months away — and start thinking about in-person dating, and mating?

No one knows if we are all going to have the urge to have sex after this quasi-hibernation. One concern is a potential surge in risk-taking and STDs in the immediate aftermath of the pandemic. (After all, you can’t assume that if someone was celibate during the pandemic, they don’t have an STD; most STDs don’t show symptoms and could have predated the coronavirus.

If all that sounds bleak, well, it is. For now, the coronavirus probably means less sex overall, whether that’s because of no spouse or a drop in desire. Or both.

Hopefully, though, this is just for now. Because the more everyone commits to physical distancing the faster we can all get back to business.