Turns out, those adult videos of people having sex with face masks were in the right all along….
A new study from researchers at Harvard University shares that people should probably be wearing face masks when having sex. According to the Evening Standard, the research team, led by Dr. Jack Turban, suggests that couples take many preventative measures before and after having sex. This includes not only wearing face masks during the act but also showering before and after sex, avoiding kissing, and the “cleaning of the physical space with soap or alcohol wipes.”
In order to come to this conclusion, the researchers ranked sexual scenarios on the basis of how likely it was to catch the coronavirus from doing them. On the lower end of things were abstinence and masturbation. Then, sex with someone in your household and sex with someone living in a different household were considered “high risk” activities.
“For some patients, complete abstinence from in-person sexual activity is not an achievable goal,” reasoned Dr. Turban. “In these situations, having sex with persons with whom they are self-quarantining is the safest approach.”
Dr. Turban and his team then recognized that abstinence is not a permanent solution. The research team also explained how they don’t want to create a stigma towards having sex or around LGBTQ people like what happened during the AIDS pandemic.
“Some groups, including sexual and gender minority (SGM) communities, may be particularly vulnerable to sexual stigma, given the historical trauma of other pandemics, such as AIDS,” Dr. Turbin stated.
“Abstinence recommendations may conjure memories of the widespread stigmatization of SGM people during the AIDS crisis. For the population at large, a recommendation of long-term sexual abstinence is unlikely to be effective, given the well-documented failures of abstinence-based public health interventions and their likelihood to promote shame.”
This study’s results align with the UK government’s recent decision to outlaw sex between people form other households during lockdown. A new amendment to the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations 2020 bill stated that there should not be any meetings of 2 people or more from different households. That is, unless it is work related or with “reasonable excuses.”
In addition, the advice from these Harvard researchers also backs the suggestions of health experts in the U.S.A. As Dr. Anthony Fauci said over a SnapChat interview with Good Luck America, people are free to have sex with strangers at this time. Though, they are putting themselves at risk.
“You know, that’s tough. Because it’s what’s called relative risk. If you really feel that you don’t want to have any part of this virus, will you maintain six feet away, wear a mask, do all the things that we talk about in the guidelines?” Dr Fauci said, adding: “You know, everybody has their own tolerance for risks. And it depends on the level of the interaction that you want to have.”
“If you’re looking for friends, sit in a room and put a mask on and, you know, chat a bit. If you want to go a bit more intimate, then that’s your choice regarding a risk.”
Plus, the New York City Department of Health issued guidance in March stating that masturbation was the best route to stay safe during the pandemic. Though, having sex with someone who lives in the same household as you was considered the next best solution. But as the Harvard researchers have now revealed, that might not be as safe as we once thought. Be careful, folks!
Source: The Evening Standard,
