University of Georgia encourages students to wear masks during sex

The University of Georgia published a guide advising students to wear face masks during sex to help slow the spread of coronavirus.

In a now-removed page called “COVID-19 Considerations,” the University Health Center provided suggestions to students as they participate in hookups during the fall semester.

The first of these suggestions states: “You are your safest sex partner. Practice solo sex, or limit the number of sexual partners you have.” 

Since “heavy breathing and panting can further spread the virus,” the University of Georgia is telling its students to wear masks to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. Additionally, students are advised to “avoid kissing and be creative with sexual positions that reduce close face-to-face contact.”

[RELATED: Harvard plans to track students’ WiFi signals for coronavirus contact tracing]

The guidelines also warn students that it is unknown whether the virus can spread through bodily fluids.

The University Health Center’s advice on sexual activity was removed after going viral on social media.

Greg Trevor, a university spokesman, told Campus Reform the information was consistent with health advice shared around the country.

“The information was consistent with language that appears on multiple health and medical sites across the country, including the Mayo Clinic,” Trevor said. “However, when the information was mocked, ridiculed and criticized on social media, we decided to take it down.”

Students and other social media users took to Twitter and mocked the UGA, noting that students are unlikely to heed the school’s advice.

[RELATED: Mandatory USC sex training tells students ‘consent is never a blanket statement’]

One Georgia student said that she is “Obsessed with UGA telling us what sex positions to try that don’t involve looking at each other.”

Cecil Hurt, a University of Alabama sports commentator, suggested that “if they just abstain between national championships, they’ll be fine.”

The University of Georgia is not the first institution to recommend that individuals reconsider their sexual activity in response to coronavirus.

British Columbia’s Center for Disease Control published similar guidelines to the University of Georgia’s, suggesting that citizens try anonymous sexual activity that limits face-to-face contact.

[RELATED: WVU imposes COVID-19 fee for untested students]

A few weeks into their lockdowns, the state of Oregon and New York City issued public service announcements that went viral for their graphic descriptions of safe sexual activities. 

Oregon’s advisory even included emojis to help readers visualize behaviors likely to spread the coronavirus.

Follow the author of this article on Twitter: @BenZeisloft