Covid 19 coronavirus: Should you stop sleeping with your partner?

These are unprecendented times we're living in and people have numerous questions regarding this "new normal" of social distancing, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

With New Zealanders being told to leave a 2-metre distance between each other to try to stop the spread of the virus, some are wondering what that means for bedroom interactions.

Professor Paul Hunter from the School of Medicine at the University of East Anglia in the UK says the answer to whether or not people can still have sexual intercourse with their partner while in isolation is a complex one and depends on individual circumstances.

"If you are free of symptoms but are social distancing, then there are no reasons why you cannot continue to have sex with your partner when you live together," Professor Hunter said, quoted by news.com.au.

"If your sex life is rather more bohemian and you cannot get to have sex without mixing with some or many other people, this mixing is advised against, so stay at home.

"This is especially important if you are in one of the at-risk groups."

The expert said risk of infection during sex is still from close face-to-face contact through droplet spread, through kissing and touching each other's faces.

"I am not aware of any evidence to date that the infection can be spread through vaginal intercourse per se. So, please continue to wash your hands regularly and especially before sex," he added.

Anyone self-isolating because they or their partner is experiencing Covid-19 symptoms, such as a cough or fever, you don't necessarily have to fully abstain.

There are, however, circumstances that mean you definitely have to abstain:

"If your partner is in one of the vulnerable groups because of age, pre-existing disease or she is pregnant, then you need to stay away from them as much as possible and this would mean avoid sex for the first seven days," Professor Hunter said.

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If you do not live with your partner, you should not have sex during the lockdown period.

"If your partner does not live with you then they should be staying away.

"The evidence is unclear about whether vigorous exercise is bad for you when you are acutely unwell with fever or pneumonia. Nevertheless, it would probably be best to avoid sex while you feel poorly.

"Whether you do or do not still have sex during this period remember to wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds and avoid touching your or your partner's face with unwashed hands."

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website