British Columbia Centre for Disease Control is recommending the of use “glory holes” and doggy style as safe sex practices during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“If you’re feeling fine and have no symptoms of COVID-19, you can still have sex,” reads COVID-19 and Sex page on the official BC CDC website^[1]http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/prevention-risks/covid-19-and-sex.  “If you’re feeling sick, skip sex.”

BC CDC recommends having one or few regular sex partners to lower the chances of being exposted to  COVID-19.

BC CDC has come up with a few suggestions to keep British Columbians safe when having sex with another person.

• Ask your partner(s) if they’re feeling unwell or have any symptoms of COVID-19.
• Before and after sex:
  • Wash your body with soap and water.
  • Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
  • Wash sex toys thoroughly with soap and water before and after use. Do not share them with multiple partners.
• Wear a face covering or mask. Heavy breathing during sex can create more droplets that may transmit COVID-19.
• Avoid or limit kissing and saliva exchange.
• Choose sexual positions that limit face-to-face contact.
• Use barriers, like walls (e.g., glory holes), that allow for sexual contact but prevent close face-to-face contact.
• Using condoms, lubricant, and dental dams may help to further reduce the risk by minimizing contact with saliva, semen and feces during oral and anal sex.

Another piece of handy advice from BC CDC is to engage in masturbation.

“You are your safest sex partner,” the guide says. “Masturbating by yourself (solo sex) will not spread COVID-19. If you masturbate with a partner(s), physical distancing will lower your chance of getting COVID-19.”

British Columbia has fared much better than most other jurisdictions in North America when it comes to keeping COVID-19 under control, with only 3,328 cases and 189 deaths recorded in the province of five million people.

But BC has seen a recent uptick in new cases, prompting provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry to issue a stern warning that the province could see explosive growth if the public is not careful.