There’s a world of difference between lockdown for single people and lockdown for couples. Singles are sinking into the couch watching Netflix and Tinder-swiping with the vague hope of a FaceTime date. Couples might be sinking into their couches at the same rate as singles, but at least they can have sex afterward. And this disparity is unlikely to change soon. With social distancing in place and bars and clubs off the table, this is perhaps the worst possible time in history for singles have sex.
Dutch Government Recommends Single People Have a Sex Buddy During the Lockdown
But fear not, singletons, the Dutch government is all over the issue.
The country’s “intelligent lockdown” allows only three visitors into a household, under the strict condition that those visitors keep their distance. While this rule may be difficult to enforce, it effectively puts the kibosh on hookups. Now, however, the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) is suggesting that single men and women line up a seksbuddy (sex buddy) to stay sane during lockdown.
“It makes sense that as a single [person] you also want to have physical contact,” they said. “Discuss how best to do this together. For example, meet with the same person to have physical or sexual contact (for example, a cuddle buddy or ‘sex buddy’), provided you are free of illness. Make good arrangements with this person about how many other people you both see. The more people you see, the greater the chance of (spreading) the coronavirus.”
So there you have it. If you were on the fence about your new friends-with-benefits, now you have direct encouragement from the Dutch government.
The new guidance comes after people expressed frustration with the restrictive guidelines, which effectively prohibited them from interacting closely with anyone outside their family.