Safer Sex During COVID-19

Current social distancing guidelines recommend avoiding contact with people outside your household whenever possible. To avoid spreading COVID-19, right now it’s safer to engage in sexual activity only with partners with whom you live who are also practicing social distancing and good hand hygiene.

Consent is necessary in all sexual interactions, whether virtual or in-person. It’s also important to communicate about potential exposure to COVID-19. Make sure your partner and you agree about the level of risk you’re willing to accept.
Everyone’s level of interest in sexual activity is different—there’s no “right” level of interest—and it’s important to respect your partner's boundaries even if they’re different than they were pre-pandemic.
Don’t have sex if you or your partner feels sick or has any symptoms of COVID-19. While you can be infected with COVID-19 and spread it to others without having symptoms, avoiding sex when you feel sick can definitely reduce transmission risk.
Some aspects of safer sex remain the same during COVID-19. Learn more about condoms, contraception and other safer sex practices below.

Healthyhorns Play It Safe

University Health Services educates students about healthy sexuality. We empower you to make decisions that keep you safe, healthy, and successful, including the choice not to have sex. If you choose to be sexually active, playing it safe means:

Condoms

Use condoms every time you have oral, anal, or vaginal sex. Know where to get condoms and how to use them correctly. Condoms are the only contraceptive method that also protects you from sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Get Free or Low-Cost Condoms

Contraception

Choose a birth control method that works for you and your partner(s).

Vaccination

Get the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to protect you from genital warts and cancer.

Communication

Talk with your partner(s) about healthy sexuality, including STI testing, pregnancy prevention, and consent. Learn how to build and maintain a healthy relationship.

Sober

Avoid using alcohol and drugs before having sex. If you use alcohol and drugs, you are more likely to take risks, like not using a condom. Plus, you are less able to give and receive consent.

Education

Keep learning about what you can do to take care of your sexual health with one of our interactive workshops. All workshops are taught by our Healthyhorns Peer Educators and are available to all UT students—all you have to do is get a few friends together and pick a time and place.

For more information about healthy sexuality and relationships, please explore the healthy sexuality links on this page.