Swedish Health Authorities Discourage COVID-19 Hook-Ups, Endorse Sex in Solid Relationships

While the Swedish health authorities initially adopted a laissez-fair approach to the coronavirus epidemic and wouldn't interfere with their compatriots' sex lives, they later revised their stance and have come up with clear advice.

While recommending to abstain from casual sex as risky amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Swedish health authorities are now encouraging sex in solid relationships as “promoting well-being”.

In its updated guidelines about the novel coronavirus epidemic, the Swedish Public Health Agency (FHM) has warned that casual sexual relations constitute a risk of infection.

The general advice from the FHM is to keep away from other people in order to stop the spread of the coronavirus. The same principle applies to sexual relations, the FHM said.

Therefore, hookups should be avoided. “Dating and casual sexual relationships with new partners, on the other hand, pose a risk of becoming infected or infecting others,” the Public Health Authority said, stressing that this is based on its general advice.

By contrast, sex in solid relationships, where the partners meet anyway and remain close to each other, is encouraged by the FHM. “Proximity, intimacy and sex promote well-being and public health,” the FHM said.

At a subsequent press conference in Stockholm, Swedish state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell was asked whether this should be perceived as a tightening of the sex advice to the Swedish population.

“No, it's not a tightening. We update our guidelines based on incoming questions, and in the past we have been a bit unclear,” Tegnell answered.

The health authorities' general advice as such is not legally binding, but those who don't follow it must assure that they take the necessary measures to comply with existing laws and directives. Therefore, those who don't heed the advice and infect their partner can be prosecuted according to the usual laws against putting others' lives in jeopardy and spreading the infection.

Sweden's approach differs from Denmark. Earlier, the director of the Danish Health Authority, Søren Brostrøm, made it clear that the rules of social distancingdon't apply to sex, be it in a steady relationship or the casual variety, regardless of the risk of infection.

“Sex is good. Sex is healthy. We are sexual beings, and of course you can have sex in this situation,” Brostrøm said. “As with any other human contact, there is a risk of infection. But of course one must be able to have sex.”

His Norwegian colleague, Bjørn Guldvog took a more restrained approach, not unlike the Swedish one.

“Sex between regular partners is allowed, but the risk of infection increases if you have sex in non-permanent relationships. There is a particular increase in the risk of infection from kissing and oral sex,” Guldvog told the newspaper Nettavisen.

With nearly 34,500 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 4,125 fatalities (the majority of them aged 80 and over), no-lockdown Sweden remains the hardest-hit Scandinavian nation.