Valentine's Day Sex? Thai Health Authorities Recommend Masking Up

Lovers worldwide look to impress each other on Valentine’s Day. Large public displays of affection and a romantic dinner have already been planned weeks ahead. There will undoubtedly be some romantic relations happening on February 14. Health authorities in Thailand are wary about sexual intercourse because of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Their suggestion for safe sex goes beyond just wearing a condom. Valentine’s Day sex precautions also include wearing masks during intercourse.

COVID-19 numbers in Thailand

The Omicron wave that hit the Philippines from December through February has just hit Thailand recently. This more contagious COVID-19 variant is causing spikes in positive coronavirus cases worldwide.

Thailand has reported a total of 2,608,227 coronavirus cases. There have been 22,465 deaths. The recoveries total 2,455,832. Daily coronavirus cases in Thailand were at around 8,000 at the start of the month. There were 14,900 new cases and 26 deaths just on February 14.

Thai health authorities acknowledge that people have sex on other days. They’re wary about the romantic implications that come with Valentine’s Day. They feel that February 14 could result in more positive cases as Thai couples get in the Valentine’s Day mood.

Valentine’s Day Sex

COVID-19 is mainly spread in three ways:

• An infected person exhales small droplets and particles that contain the virus. Breathing in those droplets can infect you.
• Small droplets and particles that contain the virus land on the eyes, nose, or mouth. This is especially true through splashes and sprays like a cough or sneeze.
• Touching eyes, nose, or mouth with hands that have the virus on them.

Thailand Bureau of Reproductive Health director Bunyarit Sukrat recommends extra vigilance on Valentine’s. He went so far as to recommend couples take antigen tests before going out on a date. They can prevent passing on the virus to their partner if they do so.

Face-to-face sex positions and deep kissing is also discouraged in the Southeast Asian nation. The Bureau also made its usual recommendation of contraceptives to prevent unwanted pregnancies. “If possible, wearing face masks while having sex can help reduce Covid risks,” Bunyarit said.

Vaccination Rates in Thailand

Thailand has administered at least 119,975,116 doses of COVID vaccines so far. Assuming that every person requires two doses, that’s enough to have vaccinated about 86.2% of the country’s population. Despite that very high vaccination rate, health authorities still felt the need to warn their population not to let their guard down on Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day sex may still occur, but with a few adjustments.

With the Omicron spike already behind the country though, Filipinos are still advised to wear masks and follow health protocols when going out.

Key takeaways

Positive COVID numbers have been high in recent weeks due to the Omicron variant. The Thailand Bureau of Reproductive Health is encouraging Thais to practice safe Valentine’s Day sex. They are discouraging face-to-face sex positions and deep kissing. Lovers are also encouraged to wear masks. High vaccination rates or not, the high COVID numbers are still making health officials wary.

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