yourself or someone within your household and you should follow the government guidelines about social distancing, hand washing and face coverings.
“However, it’s unrealistic to ask everyone to abstain from sex indefinitely,” the trust says.
They have published an overall ranking system of the riskiest sexual behaviors:
Abstinence – low risk, but not feasible for many
Masturbation – low risk for infection
Digital sexual activity – This includes cybersex and phone sex, but researchers caution about the risk of screenshots and sexual extortion.
Sex with someone you are quarantined with
Risk of infection if your partner is exposed outside the home; risk of infection from an asymptomatic partner.
Sex with someone you are NOT quarantined with
Risk reduction includes limiting the number of partners, avoiding sex with partners who have evident symptoms consistent with Covid-19, avoiding kissing and behaviors with risk of fecal-oral transmission, wearing face masks, showering before and after sex, and cleaning the physical space with soap or alcohol wipes.
And given we’re supposed to be doing it after most things – washing your hands for more than 20 seconds or using hand sanitizer before and after sex is recommended.
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.