Casual sex can be injurious to your health during the covid-19 pandemic. Here’s why

As the number of covid-19 cases is dropping, we are slowly-steadily going back to the way life used to be. And so, many of us are venturing into dating again. After spending months indoors, it’s natural to want to meet people—including that someone special. But you must remember that the SARS-CoV-2 virus is still out there, and you will need to take precautions. 

If you are seeing someone new and are considering getting intimate, it is better to put that idea on hold for a few more months as it is still not safe for you out there. 

“Although coronavirus does not transmit sexually, for the sake of your own health you need to avoid casual sex. Sexual intimacy can put you at a high risk of catching the virus,” explains Dr Praveen Gupta, director and head, Neurology at Fortis Hospital, Gurugram.

Kissing can transfer viral particles

Since you don’t know the person far too much, you might not even get to know if they have been exposed to the virus in the last few days. So, it can get really risky to get involved with someone unknown.

Also, read: 5 ways in which the covid-19 pandemic is hampering your sex life

Dr Gupta says: “Sexual intimacy puts you in very close contact with people, increasing the risk of exposure to the virus. Moreover, kissing creates an exchange of your partner’s oral secretions with you which can further increase the spread of the virus.”

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Not to mention, the exposure to the breath of another person for a prolonged time increases your risk catching the virus. And since, it would be really difficult to maintain social distancing during foreplay and sexual intercourse, it’s best to avoid the deed altogether.

Even though the virus doesn’t spread through sexual intercourse, your risk is quite high 

“Various studies have shown that the covid-19 virus does not spread through sexual intercourse, either vaginal or anal. But there’s still a very high chance of contracting the virus through the droplets from nose or mouth while talking, coughing or sneezing,” says Dr Gupta.

“For you to get infected, you need a thousand viral particles. And you’ll be shocked to know that during intimacy without a mask, you can reach this number in under five minutes,” he adds. 

Dr Gupta further advises: “An infected person may not show any symptoms. And  so kissing an unknown person, indulging in casual sex, or even being in close proximity can infect you.”

Be safe and skip casual sex!