There have been many questions in the swinging lifestyle about coronavirus or COVID-19. We’d like to help the community better understand the situation so everyone can make a more informed decision for their own personal situation. Please remember we are not medical doctors and you should always consult your own healthcare professionals to diagnose and treat your health issues. We are going to share some statistics and links to research data to better inform you of the situation.
This page was written on March 10th, 2020. This situation is fast changing and new information is being released each day. For the most current information, please visit the Centers for Disease Control or the World Health Organization.
How dangerous is COVID-19 aka Coronavirus?
This is a serious virus that has spread across the world. A big reason why this virus is a serious threat is that it is a novel virus (new to science) so there is much less research & knowledge on how to prevent the spread and treat the symptoms. Much of what we need to know about COVID-19 is simply not discovered yet. There is no cure or vaccine for this virus. The lack of knowledge is leading to some fear and panic, which is not helpful. We want to be making informed decisions that will move us to a safer and healthier place even if we feel scared.
COVID-19 is similar to the seasonal flu in many aspects but it is much deadlier than the seasonal flu. In the United States, the seasonal flu has a mortality rate that fluctuates between 0.1% to 0.2% each year according to the CDC. Most of the people that die from the seasonal flu are older people, people with pre-existing medical conditions like chronic respiratory illness, or are smokers & vapers. Per the CDC, older people have a much higher seasonal flu mortality rate. For example, people aged 50-54 have a mortality rate closer to 0.5%. People aged 70-74 have a 2.2% mortality rate.
COVID-19 currently has a mortality rate for the general population around 3% according to the WHO but that number may be inflated due to the lack of widespread testing. It is possible that the more severe hospital cases are skewing the small data pool. It is theorized that many less severe cases are not being properly diagnosed thus possibly inflating the mortality rate. Other influences that might be skewing this preliminary data, is this novel virus started in China which has significant issues with airborne pollution and much higher percentages of smoking adults. Many scientists are estimating a mortality rate closer to 1.0%. Although 1.0% seems very low, it is still considerably higher than the seasonal flu which averages around 0.1% to 0.2%. No wonder so many swingers are worried about COVID-19.
An estimate of 1% mortality rate might not seem extreme to everyone but remember that is for the general population. People who are smokers, vapers, have asthma or other pre-existing conditions, or are older will face a significantly greater risk of death. Let’s remind everyone: this is a new disease and we do not currently have enough data to know precisely how bad this will become. Currently, the outlook is that this will be significantly worse than the seasonal flu. One thing we know for certain is that this virus should be taken seriously.
Another thing to note is that the seasonal flu has a vaccine that provides a shield to roughly 45% of the US population per the CDC. COVID-19 currently has no vaccine so there is no shield for anyone. The lack of a vaccine is another reason to err on the side of caution.
If you are younger, you might be thinking there is still little to be concerned about contracting COVID-19, but you might not be considering the risk of you accidentally spreading this virus to your parents or grandparents or your friends with respiratory problems.
How contagious is COVID-19?
We don’t know. Scientists are not 100% sure about the different factors involved with how COVID-19 is transmitted because it is so new. Here is a link to the latest CDC information about COVID-19 transmission. We do know it spreads from person to person easily. We do not yet know how long someone is contagious before they show symptoms, during their illness, or after they recover from the virus. We do know it can take 2-14 days after a person is exposed for them to show symptoms. And we know some people may not show any symptoms but can still transmit the virus to others. This is another reason why many people are erring on the side of caution.
COVID-19’s Impact on Swinging Lifestyle
Every swinger is going to have to make their own choices on what changes if any they make. COVID-19 can definitely be spread from close casual contact. It can be spread in any group gathering spots including crowded swinger clubs. The CDC has currently recommended all travelers with any health issues avoid cruise ships.
The CDC is encouraging social distancing, which means self-limiting contact with other people. That is because your risk increases exponentially based on the more in-person interactions you have. Your risk of contracting COVID-19 isn’t limited to the person currently in front of you. It includes all the people that person has encountered over the last few days. We know social distancing doesn’t sound appealing to swingers but if you are in an at-risk group or have loved ones who are at-risk, it would be wise to strongly consider social distancing at least until we have better information to help protect ourselves and our loved ones.
Here are some alternative options to your swinging you might want to consider…
- Take a month-long break from swinging while science learns more about this disease. That break would provide a sexy opportunity to reconnect with the love of your life and remind each of us how much we treasure our partners. If this scare does nothing else, let it remind all of us how lucky we are to be with our amazing partners!
- Temporarily avoid group gatherings to lower your risk profile. Only meet with your closest swinging friends and only if you know they are also limiting their contacts.
- Skip a few weeks of swinging to save up money for a trip in the future. Due to COVID-19, many airlines are slashing prices and allowing free changes in case you need to change your future bookings.
- Experiment with webcamming (watching or performing). It may not be quite as good as real-life swinging but it could keep you and your loved ones safe plus it could earn you some spare cash to pay for your trip to Desire next year once this hopefully is all over.
- Take a temporary break from swinging to research and experiment with different fetishes at home. Try erotic Japanese rope knots, Nuru massage gel, BDSM, or whatever fetish you have been curious about but too busy with swinging to explore.
We know this isn’t a fun or sexy topic, but it is important. Whatever you decide, please stay informed as we are learning new things each day. It is wiser to think twice before acting once. Stay safe friends.