Couples who have been in lockdown could be getting bored. They could be running out of things to do while doing social distancing. While having sex is a part of a healthy marriage, experts warn that it could transmit the coronavirus.
A new study has shown that having sex could spread the virus. The researchers suggest that couples should follow preventive steps when making love. They said that partners should not kiss and shower before and after sex. They also advise couples to wear masks while having sex.
Abstinence and masturbation is the safest
The team from Harvard University ranked the scenarios based on your chances of catching the coronavirus. They found that abstinence and masturbation had the lowest risk among sexual activities. Sex with people within or from other households had the highest risk of getting infected.
Admittedly, abstinence is not possible for most people. Researchers are warning people to take extra care when they have sex. The lead author of the study, Dr. Jack Turban, said that complete abstinence is not possible for some patients.
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Sex with someone from the same house
He said that the safest thing is to have sex with someone from the same household. By following this, people could prevent the spread of the coronavirus. He also said that people who are unable to take this approach should seek risk reduction counseling. The method is proven effective in other areas of sexual health.
Turban also said that counselors should inform patients how to reduce the risk of other sexually transmitted infections. He also noted that health professionals should teach their patients the importance of contraceptives. The use of contraceptives is especially vital during this time to prevent unwanted pregnancy.
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After hearing from an expert, the researchers did the study that patients who have recovered from COVID-19 should avoid sex for one month. A senior medical expert at the Thai Disease Control Department, Veerawat Manosutthi, warned his patients against kissing. He also said that those who have recovered from the disease should avoid getting intimate for 30 days.
Manosutthi told Khaosod English that people should use condoms when having sex if they believe that they are free from the coronavirus. He added that kissing should be avoided because the virus could spread through the mouth.
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Based on a recent study, there were some traces of the coronavirus found in the semen of men. Researchers from Shangqiu Municipal Hospital studied semen samples from 38 infected male patients in Henan province in China.
On January 26, the team analyzed the samples and repeated them on February 16. They found that 16 percent of the men had traces of the coronavirus in their semen. They wrote that the presence of the virus in semen could be more common than what we currently know.
They also wrote that one should not assume that viruses other than those sexually transmitted are absent in genital secretions.
