Will Coronavirus affect your dating opportunities?

With everything that's been happening in the news recently relating to the Coronavirus, I thought it would be interesting to write about how to stay safe when dating. And by safe, I'm talking about keeping germ free or at least reducing the risk of catching any bugs. And this doesn't just apply to the Coronavirus. It applies to any transmittable diseases, viruses and germs. Things like colds and the flu are often passed on to other people when dating and not always directly from your date. Think of how many other people you interact with when you go on a date?

Before I delve further into this, let me be clear that I'm no expert on the subject, so I'm offering advice based on what I know. I'm not a scientist or a medical professional so anything I'm saying here should not be taken as fact. I'm merely stating an opinion and expressing it in my own way.

Fighting off the lurgy starts at home

Dating face to face involves exposure to other people, not just your date. You're likely to be in close contact with lots of other people, and this can put you at risk in so many areas. As soon as you set foot out the door, you're at risk of catching all sorts. Fortunately, our bodies are very resilient and designed to fight all manner of invading organisms. So you don't need to worry too much about wrapping yourself up in cotton wool. Your journey to fight off bugs should start at home though. If you're not feeling great, for example, you've got a runny nose, sore throat or are coughing, common sense should tell you to stay at home. You can always rearrange your date. I'm sure they'd prefer to see you at your best rather than see you at death's door(!) or risk catching your lurgy. If you're healthy enough to go out, beware of others around you that might be harbouring all sorts of illnesses. You don't need to go down the route of wearing a mask to protect yourself. Most masks don't protect you that much anyway, and if you're on a date, it won't look great when you turn up with strap marks all over your face and the possibility of bad breath due to restricting breathing.

Think about where and when to meet your date

Meeting your date at a bar may increase the risk of you catching something because of other people likely to be there, so choose your timing wisely. Bars are likely to be packed in the evenings at weekends, so what about meeting your date during the week? Or in the early afternoon when bars are usually quiet? Remember, someone that has been infected with Coronavirus might not even know they have it or display any symptoms at all.

Letting your date down without letting them down

If you have to reschedule your date because you've come down with something, it's better not to tell your date exactly what you have or be too descriptive about symptoms. That can ruin the initial attraction. The last thing a potential partner wants to know about you is how thick and green your mucus was in the morning. Keep it short and sweet. Tell them you've come down with something but you'd still love to see them another time and make arrangements for another day. Depending on what you have, leave it a week or so. If you're suspected to have Coronavirus, you'll need to leave it at least 2 weeks, if not longer. A lot of dates might not wait that long, but if they're worth it, they will. Don't risk spreading your bug to someone else who might spread it even further.

Reducing the risk of catching a bug en route to a date

Public transport has always been an infection zone. People are coughing all over the place, touching handles, buttons and poles. Not to mention all those different bottoms sat on the same seats, over and over again each day. Like a bar, public transport has times when it's busiest. Fortunately, these times tend to be the same as when bars are busiest, so avoiding one usually avoids the other. Always carry antibacterial gel with you so that when you get off a bus or train, you can rub your hands with it. Or even better, get yourself into a washroom and give your hands a good scrub.

If like me, you drive, you can always arrange to meet your date somewhere less busy and take your car there. I know there's the whole drinking thing to consider, but in all honesty, having a straight head and keeping sober during your date might work in your favour.

With any luck, your date will go fantastically well, and you'll have to decide whether or not to kiss them goodbye. This will all depend on body language and rapport, but assuming you've got the all-clear to give them that first "I'm interested in you and want to see you again" kiss, you'll need to think carefully about the risk. It's so easy to kiss someone in the excitement of the moment, but be sure to remember that it's an almost guaranteed way to pick up a bug if your date has one. A way around this is to give them a big hug instead. There's less likelihood of anything getting transferred that way, and you can still walk away having given your date a positive sign that things are progressing well. Remember, hug not bug!

Sleeping with them on a first date

It might not be an option for some, but it does happen. If you're in a position that takes you to their bedroom, or you take them to yours, think hard about the risks. Forgetting safe s*x practices for the moment, which are very obvious, kissing introduces all sorts of risks of picking up bugs and illnesses. Unfortunately, there isn't really a way around this apart from abstinence. And if you're in the bedroom stage, then abstinence probably isn't an option! Way up the risk with the outcome. If it's likely your rendezvous will be a one-night thing, then I'd say it isn't worth it. But if you really like them and there's a good chance they could be "the one", then perhaps the risk might be worth it. After all, you might both end up in bed together albeit ill and probably unable to do much other than keep each other warm.

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