Getty Members of the public walk past a new mural of a mask wearing couple kissing on March 21, 2020 in Glasgow, Scotland.
The British Columbia Center for Disease Control recommends using barrier methods including glory holes as a means of avoiding coronavirus during sex.
According to their guidance, people can “use barriers, like walls (e.g., glory holes), that allow for sexual contact but prevent close face-to-face contact.”
A glory hole is described by the Urban Dictionary as a “hole cut into a thin wall or other type of partition where a man can insert their penis for sexual stimulation by an anonymous person on the other side.”
They’re mostly used for anonymous sexual encounters, but during the time of COVID-19, walls and bathroom stall partitions are now being hailed as protective barriers by health both Canadian and New York Health Officials.
The BCCDC recommends masturbation and virtual sex as the safest means of sexual gratification without risking the spread of COVID-19, keeping the number of your sex partners low — just one if possible, even better if you already live with them. And they say you should avoid kissing and even consider wearing a mask during the act if your sex partner(s) does not live with you.
Because COVID-19 is understood to spread via respiratory droplets and “heavy breathing during sex can create more droplets that may transmit COVID-19,” the BCCDC recommends finding non-face-to-face sexual positions.
The Washington DC and New York Governments Have Also Issued Sex During Coronavirus Guidelines That Include Avoiding Rimming & Advice for Sex Workers
GettyA couple kisses in heavy crowds in Soho on July 4, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. The UK Government announced that Pubs, Hotels and Restaurants can open from Saturday, July 4th providing they follow guidelines on social distancing and sanitising.
Because coronavirus can be found in fecal matter, both NYC Health and the Government of the District of Columbia issued warning against engaging in oral to anal sex.
“Rimming, or any sexual activity that involves putting the mouth on the butt/anus, might pass COVID-19. The virus has been found in feces,” according to DC’s Health Guidance. If people want to engage in any type of oral sex, it’s recommended that they use condoms or dental dams to be on the safe side.
NYC Health reports that it’s not really known how sexually transmittable COVID-19 is, “but the virus has been found in the semen and feces (poop) of people with COVID-19.” What is known is that “other coronaviruses aren’t easily spread through sex.” For that reason, NYC health said that “sex is not likely a common way that COVID-19 spreads.”
According to the American Sexual Health Association, just because COVID-19 has been found in semen doesn’t mean it’s transmittable that way — that’s not yet known. They say that the virus has not been found in vaginal fluid.
NYC Health recommends to those who have frequent sex with strangers to take those encounters online.
“If you usually meet your sex partners online or make a living by having sex, consider taking a break from in-person dates. Video dates, sexting, subscription-based fan platforms, sexy “Zoom parties” or chat rooms may be options for you,” they wrote.
Hygiene and Distancing Guidelines Are Recommended for Sexual Activity But the Canadian CDC Says People Should Be Having Sex During the Pandemic
GettyA couple kisses next to a burning barricade during protests as part of the International Women’s Day at Plaza Baquedano on March 8, 2020 in Santiago, Chile.
While social distancing and physical intimacy are the antitheses of each other, sex is a human biological need and so ways to fulfill that need safely means people may need to try new things.
According to the BCCDC, “Sex can be very important for mental, social and physical well-being; it is a part of everyday life. People can, will and should continue to have sex during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
That’s why they say they published guidelines on the subject. Other recommendations are for people to wash their entire bodies with soap and water before and after engaging in sexual activity — and always wash sex toys. Ideally, do not use sex toys with multiple people, they say.
NYC Health also alluded to using glory holes, saying “Make it a little kinky. Be creative with sexual positions and physical barriers, like walls, that allow sexual contact while preventing close face to face contact.”
New York health officials say even if you’ve had the virus it isn’t known if you’re protected by antibodies, so it’s still important to be careful with sex. It’s recommended to have open dialogue with potential partners about exposure to the virus and whether you’re feeling sick. If anyone has been exposed, the same rule applies about refraining from sex for 14 days after exposure as applies to avoid most human encounters after exposure.
According to the BCCDC, “If you’re feeling fine and have no symptoms of COVID-19, you can still have sex. If you’re feeling sick, skip sex.”
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