A sex-party promoter in the US is still planning to hold orgies in New York and Los Angeles. But sexual contact is an almost guaranteed method of catching the virus

As offices, schools and public buildings close around the world, the organisers of two US orgies are planning to push on with their events – despite the risk from coronavirus.

The New York Post reports that high-end sex party promoters Snctm plan to throw an orgy in Los Angeles this weekend, and another in Manhattan next month. “Snctm events are going on as planned,” an organiser told the Post, before emphasising that there would be extra soap and sanitiser on hand at the venue. Los Angeles currently has 17 confirmed cases of coronavirus, although more people may be infected without showing symptoms.

If you are living in a coronavirus-affected region, and thinking of planning a sex party: don’t. Short of putting all the orgy-goers in full hazmat suits – which, you imagine, would dampen the mood – it is impossible to prevent unknowingly spreading coronavirus.

“Coronavirus itself is not a sexually transmitted disease,” says Dr Muhammad Munir of Lancaster University’s department of biomedical and life sciences, and an expert in viral diseases. “But as during sex there is very close contact between two individuals, the chance of someone contracting the virus from another infected person is almost 100%, specifically due to the kissing involved.”(Coronavirus is transmitted through respiratory droplets, so kissing someone infected with it puts you at high risk, he explains.)

While it would be relatively easy to spot someone at an orgy who is symptomatic, the problem is that many people may not know they have coronavirus for a while – and might feel sprightly enough to venture to a sex party. “It can take five to six days before clinical signs start,” Munir says.

Even if you don’t kiss the person you are having sex with, you may still contract coronavirus. “Contaminated hands is a major source of infection,” Munir says. “It’s not just sex itself – it’s any contact involved during the act.”

It’s not just orgies you need to swerve. Dating in general might be something to avoid, until the epidemic dies down. “Dating has a high risk of transmission,” Munir says, “because you tend to have more prolonged contact with the other person. You may kiss them, hug them or hold their hand for a couple of hours. The longer the duration you have contact with someone, the greater the risk of transmission.”

Munir would advise anyone planning on throwing an orgy in an area with confirmed coronavirus cases to think twice. “If the government is closing down schools, the same principle should apply to sex parties,” he says. Because in the age of coronavirus, an orgy is probably a bad idea.