Question: Are there guidelines for safe sex with a new partner who you don’t know very well yet?

Answer: We discussed safe sex in our Q&A of 6/6 #Sex, where I shared a table regarding safe sex practices that is still highly relevant. I thought there might be more evidence to report here, but there’s not much; the role of sexual transmission (e.g. through semen, vaginal fluids, oral-fecal routes, and/or saliva) is still uncertain. Among COVID-19 patients, SARS-CoV-2 has been detected in saliva, semen, urine, and fecal matter, but it has *not* been found in vaginal fluids (though this study linked here is very small). Even though the virus has been detected in bodily fluids, whether the virus has spread through these routes is still unknown.

Since the virus is predominantly spread through respiratory droplets shared in close contact, since sexual intercourse with a partner requires close contact, and since the virus can spread before a person knows they are sick, SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk during sexual intercourse with a partner who has been exposed or whose exposure is unknown is high. If sexual partners decide that the risk is worth it, they can minimize the SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk by using condoms and dental dams, avoiding kissing, opting for sexual positions that are not face-to-face, wearing face masks, and washing hands/showering before and after getting intimate. If they want to really minimize transmission risk, they can also agree to self-quarantine for 14 days and get together thereafter, as suggested by University of Maryland Medical System.