As per official guidance from the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) issued on Friday, singles in the country are advised to find themselves a ‘sex buddy’ during the lockdown period. This guidance comes after the government earlier issued a notice that singles aren’t to engage in sexual activities during the pandemic.
Singletons, who have come to an arrangement with another person, should avoid sex if they suspect themselves or the other person to have the coronavirus. The guidance instead tells couples in such a situation to tell each other erotic stories or engage in phone sex.
The same advice has been issued for those with long-term partners, too. Dutch PM Mark Rutte also asked the nation not to shake hands.
As per a BBC report, the guidance published by the RIVM reads, "it makes sense that as a single you also want to have physical contact" during the pandemic. The guidance says that the sex buddies should discuss with each other how to do this together, once they find a likeminded individual to be a consensual partner.
In the UK, when the lockdown was initially imposed, the government had advised that couples who do not live together should not meet at all or move in together as soon as possible.
The Netherlands began the first stage of a five-phase lockdown exit plan after PM Rutte said that the nation had made ‘headway’ in bringing the number of coronavirus infections and deaths down.
Libraries, hairdressers, nail bars, beauticians, massage salons and places providing occupational therapy were allowed to reopen from May 11.
The Netherlands has so far reported 43,995 confirmed cases of the virus and 5,680 deaths.
