The COVID-19 pandemic has put a bit of a damper on romance, but where there’s a will there’s a way. Here are some tips on how to weather the current health crisis and still work out your sexual tensions.
“In the spring, a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love,” wrote Alfred Lord Tennyson in a poem first published in the early 1840s. Needless to say, Tennyson could not have anticipated the current COVID-19 pandemic which has dramatically reshaped our day-to-day lives.
And yet, somehow, love finds a way. For couples who are married or cohabiting, the currently mandated social-distancing rule doesn’t really present that great an obstacle to sexual activity.
COVID-19 Is a Bummer
But for couples separated from one another by conscientious efforts to self-isolate or those men and women who haven’t yet met the romantic partner of their dreams, COVID-19 is a real bummer.
After all, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been emphatic in its recommendations to maintain social distancing. The CDC’s tips include:
- Maintain a six-foot distance between you and others you encounter outside the home.
- Avoid group gatherings, i.e. those involving more than 10 people.
- Avoid crowded places and mass gatherings.
Bars Are No Longer an Option
No more pick-up bars, since most such establishments remain closed under state regulations. But where there’s a will, there’s usually a way. In an interview with NPR’s Michel Martin, USA Today’s Steven Petro and The Washington Post’s Lisa Bonos share some of their tips for dating in the time of COVID-19.
Petro, who is recently divorced, told of a date he had with a young woman during which they walked around a lake, taking care to keep six feet of space between them. Not exactly sexy, but a very pleasant experience, according to Petro.
Dating via Facetime
To reduce her sense of isolation, Bonos, who regularly writes about dating and relationships, set up a Facetime date with an ex. Not necessarily to reignite the flame of romance but to keep her social skills well honed.
If you simply can’t go on without a little sexual activity to spice up your life, the American Sexual Health Association offers a few tips to have sex without seriously risking your health.
- Don’t overlook self-stimulation as an outlet for your sexual needs. ASHA points out that “you are your safest sex partner.”
- Having sex with someone you live with is probably the safest form of coupled sex available these days.
- Avoid sexual contact with those outside your home; if you simply can’t abstain, limit your number of partners to an absolute minimum.
- Temporarily replace in-person dates with virtual encounters, such as video dates, chat rooms, and sexting.
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