We know that it’s not very sexy to be talking about Covid-19, but it’s obviously still something that we’re all still navigating in various ways around the world.

We’re not doctors, but we’re inquisitive and curious. The question that has been at the top of our minds recently has been – is Covid-19 going to get in the way of our plans for a sexed-up summer?

Like any virus, the longer that it’s around then the more we know about it. We’ve obviously now got a better handle on what’s most likely to transmit the virus between people, and the most effective ways that we can try and prevent transmission.

The good news is that Covid-19 is not some sort of STI. Experts have confirmed that there’s no evidence that Covid-19 is transmitted through semen or vaginal fluids.

So, is it game on? Not quite. Even if you’re vaxed and boosted, navigating our new-normal is all about how much risk you’re prepared to expose yourself to. While you may not acquire Covid-19 by coming into contact with a guy’s cum, when you start getting hot and sweaty with people then it’s a bit of a gamble as to what your exposure is.

But we’re not here to be a cock-block – here’s how to plan a safe but wild gay sex party this summer.

Establish Your Sex Bubble

One of the ways to reduce your risk in terms of exposure to Covid-19 is to minimise anonymous encounters and to get to know who you’re fucking. That doesn’t mean that you’re restricted to monogamous relationships, but you may want to try and develop a bit of a sex bubble.

A sex bubble is a group of guys that you have sex with. You don’t have to have big group sessions, it could just be a series of one-on-one fuck-buddies. The point of a sex bubble is that you’ve got good lines of communication with the guys that you’re getting naked with, and you’ve built up a level of trust.

If you did want to get your entire sex bubble together for no-holds-barred proper gay group sex party, then you could ask everyone to confirm that they’re vaxed and boosted, and you could ask everyone to complete an antigen test on the day. These kinds of precautions don’t necessarily guarantee that you won’t acquire Covid-19 at a sex party, but it goes a long way to reducing your risk of exposure.

Create a No-touching Space

Another good way to reduce your risk of exposure but still immerse yourself in the sexual energy of a group-sex experience is to embrace group masturbation – often referred to as a gay circle jerk.

This kind of event brings guys together for some sexy fun, but doesn’t involve everyone fucking each other.

Group jack-off sessions such as were particularly popular during the early days of the HIV pandemic, for obvious reasons.

You can set up a circle jerk any way that your imagination takes you. Making the space comfortable is a good start, providing plenty of lube and towels is always appreciated, and ensuring that there’s some solid porn on-screen is a sensible move.

Hook up in a well-ventilated space

Whatever sort of hook-up that you’re having – whether it’s a sex party, a circle jerk, or just some one-on-one action, you can further reduce your risk of exposure to Covid-19 by ensuring that you’re in a well-ventilated space.

Why not get naked and fuck outdoors? Invite the guys over for a pool party, or take your fuck-buddy to the local cruising spot. Let’s make the most of that warmer weather.

Show Vaccination at the Door or Recent COVID Test

You probably don’t want to turn yourself into the Covid police – unless you want to get the uniform and really lean into that fetish – but it’s not totally unreasonable to ask people to confirm that they’re vaxed and boosted.

The vaccination reduces the risk of serious illness and also reduces the viral load – making it less likely that someone carrying the virus will transmit it to others.

This is where your sex bubble comes in – you don’t need to constantly be asking about vaccination if you know that the guys that you’re hooking up with are all on the same page.

Mask4Mask?

It’s not really practical to ask everyone at a sex party to keep their masks on, but we do know that high-quality face masks are an effective way to reduce transmission.

A sexier alternative is to think about ways that you can incorporate barriers into your sex party set-up. Glory holes are great because of the physical barrier between you and the guy that you’re getting it on with – your risk of Covid-19 transmission is greatly reduced if you’re using a glory hole compared to a face-to-face hook-up. Understall action is also a really good option, for the same reason – there’s a physical barrier that makes it much less likely that you’re going to be exposed to the virus.

Make it easy for guests to wash up after

Clean-up options are always a fairly high priority for a sex party, but we know that a simple way to reduce viral transmission is to regularly wash your hands and to stay on top of your hygiene.

Be self-sufficient – make sure you’ve got a bottle of hand sanitiser and some wipes in your baise-en-ville.

With a bit of preparation and some creative thinking, a sexed-up summer is definitely on the agenda.

Written by Gareth Johnson