Abstinence is never an easy health message to sell, but as the Covid-19 pandemic turned the world on its head, for those of us that weren’t living with someone we could have sex with, the only alternative to abstinence has been a lot of masturbation. Like, seriously a lot – record levels of masturbation.

As we slowly begin to move beyond life in lock-down and navigate our new-normal, it’s a bit confusing as to what’s allowed. There’s also lots of variations depending on where you live – make sure you’re getting local updates on how to keep yourself and your community safe.

The Covid-19 guidance that has got our attention is the latest update from New York City’s health department.

New Yorkers are nothing if not pragmatic. There’s a recognition that guys are going to have sex, so they’re offering advice on harm reduction strategies to help minimise the risk of transmission.

Here’s some of the highlights.

Keep masturbating

Physical contact with another person clearly increases your potential exposure to the Covid-19 virus.

If you’re horned-up and need to get off, your default option should be to take matters into your own hands.

If you’re lucky enough to be living with someone that you can have sex with, you should be making the most of that.

Ask questions

If you need to scratch that itch and you’re hooking up with someone outside of your household, it’s sensible to proactively ask some questions. Are they showing any symptoms of the virus? Have they been tested recently?

You also need to be conscious of your own health and well-being. How are you feeling? Do you have any underlying health conditions that might increase the impact of the virus on you?

Keep it intimate

For lots of us, we’re used to hooking up with a variety of different people, and it’s not always one-on-one action.

The advice from New York’s health department is to try and minimise your risk by limiting the number of sexual partners you’re connecting with.

Try and find a regular fuck-buddy or two – consistency and repeat business are going to help keep you safe.

That doesn’t mean that threesomes or fourgies are out of the questions, but don’t invite the whole neighbourhood.

Make safety sexy

Because the virus can be transmitted via your spit, kissing isn’t a great idea. Rimming is another thing that should be off the menu at the moment – there’s indications that the virus can be transmitted through ass-to-mouth action.

Wearing a mask during sex may feel a bit weird, but it can help keep you and your hook-up safe. Find a fetish mask that adds a bit of kink to the mix, or maybe this is the time to explore some puppy play?

The New York health department doesn’t specifically say the words “glory holes” but they do recommend using physical barriers “like walls” to enable sexual contact while preventing face-to-face contact. That’s right, walls. This is the time to embrace your glory hole and under-stall action fantasies.

Keep it clean

However you’re hooking up, hygiene has never been more important. Wash your hands. Have some hand-sanitiser with you. Have a shower when you get home.

Keep masturbating. Whenever you can, keep masturbating.

Read the full guidance on sex and Covid-19 from New York City’s health department