Bermuda Post

Thursday, Apr 18, 2024

Sex and Covid: What are the rules?

Sex and Covid: What are the rules?

Casual sex is still off the cards in Wales and NI - but guidance is changing in England and Scotland.

The latest lockdown easing means new guidance on having sex.

In England and Scotland, you'll be able to meet indoors and stay at another person's household overnight from Monday.

The rules on close contact between friends are also being relaxed, which means you can have sex with someone outside of your household or support bubble.

But Boris Johnson and Nicola Sturgeon have urged people to be cautious.

Lockdown rules vary depending on where in the UK you are.

In Wales, two households can form a bubble and meet indoors, while indoor visits in Northern Ireland are expected to be allowed from 24 May.

But Wales and NI haven't updated their guidance on close contact - so casual sex is still off the cards.

'Your best sexual partner is yourself'


The Terrence Higgins Trust has told Newsbeat its advice on safe sex during the pandemic - first published last summer - still stands across the UK, despite England's and Scotland's rule changes.

"Your best sexual partner during the Covid-19 pandemic is yourself or someone within your household," the charity says.

However, the trust adds that it's "unrealistic to ask everyone to abstain from sex indefinitely", so has given further advice.

If you are having sex with people outside of your household, it's important to limit the number of partners you have, the charity says.

People should avoid kissing, wear a face covering and choose positions that aren't face-to-face.

Masturbation, sex toys or having phone or online sex are recommended as the safest options.

Like with all parts of life at the moment, be aware of any Covid-19 symptoms you or your partner might have - and isolate if you have them.

If you are meeting someone new, the charity says to ask if they or anyone in their household have had symptoms or tested positive.

Does the virus spread through sex?


The virus can spread through saliva, mucus or the breath of those who have it, along with contact with hard surfaces.

"If you are going to touch each other's genitals it's likely that you will potentially be kissing at the same time - and we know the virus is passed through saliva," Dr Alex George told Radio 1 Newsbeat back in March.

Dr Alex is an A&E doctor and former Love Island contestant and says "any possibility of transfer of coronavirus - from your mouth to your hands, to genitals, to someone else's nose or mouth" increases the risk of passing on coronavirus.


That's why the Terrence Higgins Trust recommends not kissing, wearing a face mask during sex and favouring positions where you're not face-to-face.

It adds the virus has been found in semen and poo, which is why you should use condoms and dams for oral sex to minimise risk.

And given we're supposed to be doing it after most things - washing your hands for more than 20 seconds or using hand sanitiser before and after sex is recommended.

All of this is not to say you should forget about your sexual health in general.

The charity says it's important to get tested for sexually transmitted infections before starting to have sex again.

"Lockdown has meant that most people have had fewer sexual partners, if any at all, and now is the perfect time to be sure you don't have an STI and to know what your HIV status is," it says.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Bermuda Post
0:00
0:00
Close
Paper straws found to contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals - study
FTX's Bankman-Fried headed for jail after judge revokes bail
Blackrock gets half a trillion dollar deal to rebuild Ukraine
Steve Jobs' Son Launches Venture Capital Firm With $200 Million For Cancer Treatments
Israel: Unprecedented Civil Disobedience Looms as IDF Reservists Protest Judiciary Reform
Google reshuffles Assistant unit, lays off some staffers, to 'supercharge' products with A.I.
End of Viagra? FDA approved a gel against erectile dysfunction
UK sanctions Russians judges over dual British national Kara-Murza's trial
US restricts visa-free travel for Hungarian passport holders because of security concerns
America's First New Nuclear Reactor in Nearly Seven Years Begins Operations
Southeast Asia moves closer to economic unity with new regional payments system
Political leader from South Africa, Julius Malema, led violent racist chants at a massive rally on Saturday
Today Hunter Biden’s best friend and business associate, Devon Archer, testified that Joe Biden met in Georgetown with Russian Moscow Mayor's Wife Yelena Baturina who later paid Hunter Biden $3.5 million in so called “consulting fees”
Singapore Carries Out First Execution of a Woman in Two Decades Amid Capital Punishment Debate
Spanish Citizenship Granted to Iranian chess player who removed hijab
US Senate Republican Mitch McConnell freezes up, leaves press conference
Speaker McCarthy says the United States House of Representatives is getting ready to impeach Joe Biden.
San Francisco car crash
This camera man is a genius
3D ad in front of Burj Khalifa
Next level gaming
Google testing journalism AI. We are doing it already 2 years, and without Google biased propoganda and manipulated censorship
Unlike illegal imigrants coming by boats - US Citizens Will Need Visa To Travel To Europe in 2024
Musk announces Twitter name and logo change to X.com
'I just lost it' Lowe’s worker fired after 13 years of employment for confronting thieves trying to steal $2K of merchandise
The politician and the journalist lost control and started fighting on live broadcast.
The future of sports
Unveiling the Black Hole: The Mysterious Fate of EU's Aid to Ukraine
Farewell to a Music Titan: Tony Bennett, Renowned Jazz and Pop Vocalist, Passes Away at 96
Alarming Behavior Among Florida's Sharks Raises Concerns Over Possible Cocaine Exposure
Transgender Exclusion in Miss Italy Stirs Controversy Amidst Changing Global Beauty Pageant Landscape
Joe Biden admitted, in his own words, that he delivered what he promised in exchange for the $10 million bribe he received from the Ukraine Oil Company.
TikTok Takes On Spotify And Apple, Launches Own Music Service
Global Trend: Using Anti-Fake News Laws as Censorship Tools - A Deep Dive into Tunisia's Scenario
Arresting Putin During South African Visit Would Equate to War Declaration, Asserts President Ramaphosa
Hacktivist Collective Anonymous Launches 'Project Disclosure' to Unearth Information on UFOs and ETIs
Typo sends millions of US military emails to Russian ally Mali
Server Arrested For Theft After Refusing To Pay A Table's $100 Restaurant Bill When They Dined & Dashed
The Changing Face of Europe: How Mass Migration is Reshaping the Political Landscape
China Urges EU to Clarify Strategic Partnership Amid Trade Tensions
Europe is boiling: Extreme Weather Conditions Prevail Across the Continent
The Last Pour: Anchor Brewing, America's Pioneer Craft Brewer, Closes After 127 Years
Democracy not: EU's Digital Commissioner Considers Shutting Down Social Media Platforms Amid Social Unrest
Sarah Silverman and Renowned Authors Lodge Copyright Infringement Case Against OpenAI and Meta
Italian Court's Controversial Ruling on Sexual Harassment Ignites Uproar
Why Do Tech Executives Support Kennedy Jr.?
The New York Times Announces Closure of its Sports Section in Favor of The Athletic
BBC Anchor Huw Edwards Hospitalized Amid Child Sex Abuse Allegations, Family Confirms
Florida Attorney General requests Meta CEO's testimony on company's platforms' alleged facilitation of illicit activities
The Distorted Mirror of actual approval ratings: Examining the True Threat to Democracy Beyond the Persona of Putin
×