Can Covid-19 Spread Through Sex?
Even after mass vaccination, the cases of Covid-19 are still increasing all across the world. In view of this, there are many places around the world where partial or complete lockdown has been imposed. In such a situation, the fear of spreading Covid-19 and the ever-increasing lockdown period has created a lot of chaos in the lives of most of us. Not only this, extended locked down and deprived lifestyles have put a negative effect on the mind of individuals and give rise to fear and anxiety. In such situations, it is a common question that would be popping up in one’s mind – is it safe to have sex in the time of Covid-19 infection and epidemic?
Since most people have been locked in their homes or spending maximum time indoors, people are curious to know whether it is safe to have sex with their partner or not. It is natural to be worried as coronavirus is increasingly increasing. But the reality is that there is a straightforward answer yet as not much study has been done on this subject. But according to a study conducted at the University of Utah in the US, there is no possibility of transmission of covid-19 infection through semen.
In a study, published in the journal Fertility and Sterility, conducted on 34 men from China for 31 days after the diagnosis of Covid-19, the researchers found no evidence of COVID-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the semen and testes of these men. However, this study was not comprehensive enough to completely rule out the possibility of Covid-19 spread through sex. But based on the results of this study, it can be said that the possibility of spreading Covid-19 through sex is very less. The results of laboratory tests of 34 men from China infected with Covid-19 in the study showed that the SARS-CoV-2 virus was not present in their semen samples.
Regarding the study, co-author Jingtao Guo says, ‘While the virus is not present in the existing semen, it cannot be completely ruled out that the virus can reach the testicles where sperm cells are made. If the virus is in the testicles but not in the sperm, it can be transmitted through sex. If it remains in the testicles, it can cause long-term damage to the production of semen and sperm.’
The Danger Covid-19 during Sex
During sex, you are very close to your partner and are not able to follow the distance advised to maintain to avoid virus transmission. In that case, if one of the partners is infected with Covid-19, then the chances of getting infected of the other will be very high. Kissing also occurs during intercourse, which will increase the risk of spreading the virus because you already know that the virus can spread through droplets.
Is there any benefit in wearing a mask during sex?
Now if you are thinking that having sex with a mask can save you from Covid-19, then its chances are also very low. This is because a face mask or face cover alone is not completely helpful in preventing COVID-19. Along with the mask, you will also have to follow hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, and physical distancing. But unfortunately, you can hardly follow any of these things during sex.
When a patient of Covid-19 coughs or sneezes while wearing a surgical or cloth mask, then the infected virus can spread not only inside but also the outer surface of the mask. In that case, there are higher chances of virus spread while having sex.
After how many days of recovery from covid-19 a person can have sex?
If you have been confirmed a covid-19 positive, then it is better to talk to your doctor about how many days you should not have sex. Along with this, if you think that you were suspected of having Covid-19 but now you are feeling better, you should still talk to a doctor before having sex. There are also reports obtained from many countries including South Korea and China that people who were cured of Covid-19 disease have been confirmed to have re-infection.
In such a situation, even if you are feeling well or you feel that you are in good health and your test for Covid-19 has come negative, there may be a possibility that the virus is not completely out of your body. In that case, you should talk to your doctor thoroughly about how many days you should wait before having sex again.
Can using condoms prevent covid-19?
A condom can protect you from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and infections, but it cannot protect you from infection with Covid-19. COVID-19 does not fall under the category of sexually transmitted disease.
The best way to prevent the spread of Covid-19 is to maintain a distance of at least 3 to 6 feet from others, which is not possible during sex. In such a situation, whether you have sex with or without a condom, you would be at the risk of Covid-19 infection.
