Only 5 percent of the 1,160 respondents said they will wear masks during sex (the rest, presumably, were undecided). On top of that, 26 percent of participants said they were concerned about contracting an STI from sex with a new partner, but only 19 percent were worried about sex exposing them to coronavirus. And only 18 percent said they would get tested for COVID-19 after sexual intercourse with a new partner. “Despite the evidence suggesting that wearing a facial mask may help to minimize further spread of COVID-19, I don’t believe people will change their romantic lifestyle so significantly by wearing masks during sex,” Megan Harrison, relationship therapist and owner of CouplesCandy.com, said in a statement. “Masks would drastically alter the experience.” However, experts say that this cavalier attitude toward mask-wearing during sex is bound to put countless people at risk.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb “Once people realize the truly large number of people dying or becoming ill—or infected [and] asymptomatic—from COVID-19, they may stop having sex with new partners,” OB/GYN Enchanta Jenkins, MD, told Best Life. RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. If you do plan on getting intimate with a new partner, wearing a mask isn’t the only precaution you should take, however. A May 2020 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine notes that coronavirus has been identified in respiratory secretions, semen, and feces, meaning certain sexual practices may put you at greater risk for contracting the virus. To further protect yourself and others, naturopathic doctor and sexologist Jordan Wiggins, ND, says to “keep the sexual activity to the people you have been quarantined with already, ask if your partners have been exposed to anyone who has tested positive, and tell your partners of the last week if you have come down with symptoms.” And if you want to keep yourself safe, make sure to avoid these 7 Things You Should Never Be Doing With Your Face Mask.
