One LGBT expert is strongly advising gay men against hooking up during the coronavirus crisis.
Dr. Michael Brady, medical director for Britain’s Terrance Higgins Trust, issued the warning in a post on the HIV/AIDS charity’s website this week.
“I’ve never been an advocate of promoting abstinence, but this message is not about protecting your sexual health: it’s about protecting your general health and those around you from a virus that can be deadly,” Brady wrote. “This advice means that, unless you have sex with someone within your household, it’s important to find sexual pleasure in other ways. … It’s only natural that we look to sex for pleasure, to relieve stress and anxiety or simply to pass the time – whether that’s with a regular partner or using hook-up apps. But our ‘new normal’ is that we have to find ways to do this while sticking to the advice to stay at home. This isn’t just to protect ourselves against the coronavirus but also to protect the most vulnerable in our society.”
Brady went on to note that although there is no evidence of COVID-19 spreading sexually, it can be transmitted through any physical contact within six feet.
“The virus can be passed on through direct contact with saliva or mucus, so this would include kissing,” he wrote. “The COVID-19 virus has also been found in the faeces of people who are infected so rimming may also be a risk for infection.”
Earlier this week, Britain’s deputy chief medical officer said couples who don’t live together should either move in together or avoid each other completely during the lockdown. And Dr. Brady concluded that for those who don’t live with their significant other, “you are your best sexual partner right now.”
“There is no risk of passing on coronavirus through masturbation and there’s plenty of evidence that shows masturbation can relieve stress and anxiety,” Brady wrote. “If you use sex toys, make sure you wash them and your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds before and after. Technology also now means there are different ways to connect with partners, e.g. phone sex or video dates using WhatsApp or other platforms. Just make sure you aren’t pressured into anything that makes you feel uncomfortable.”
