Is there a safe way for me to enjoy casual sex during the coronavirus crisis?

I enjoy casual sex and although it’s not always that easy to be safe, I believe I can do it safely enough to protect against sexually transmitted diseases. But Covid-19 is another story. Can I now have sex with strangers and avoid the risk of contracting coronavirus?

I’m not sure if Covid-19 can penetrate latex, but in any case you need to restrict your erotic practices to those in which you can achieve proper physical distancing. There is really no way to safely get close enough to strangers for sex without a hazmat suit, and the erotic cachet of that scene would be extremely limited. Erotic phone or online conversations would be safest, during which it is possible to recreate any kind of fantasy scenario you can imagine. Think of these trying times as opportunities to expand your erotic creativity using different media platforms. Stay safe!

• Pamela Stephenson Connolly is a US-based psychotherapist who specialises in treating sexual disorders.

• If you would like advice from Pamela on sexual matters, send us a brief description of your concerns to private.lives@theguardian.com (please don’t send attachments). Each week, Pamela chooses one problem to answer, which will be published online and in print. She regrets that she cannot enter into personal correspondence. Submissions are subject to our terms and conditions: see gu.com/letters-terms.
  

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