Britain COVID law bans visiting sexual relations

Dr Christopher Tufton smiled as he read about new coronavirus lockdown legislation rolled out in Britain, which effectively bans persons from having sex with persons they do not live with.

The new law, imposed this week, makes it unlawful for persons to socialise indoors with anyone not already in their household bubble.

It is part of the British government's response to the management of the coronavirus pandemic.

Tufton, Jamaica's health minister, when asked whether a similar approach could be adopted here, said such legislation is virtually in place.

"Technically, it's not much different from our approach. If persons are in quarantine - or curfew hours - just that we don't express it that way - but there is no doubt that quarantine does restrict or prevent commingling," he said.

Pandemic requires

The curfew orders that are now in place as part of the management of the pandemic requires all Jamaicans - except for essential service workers - to be in their homes by 9 p.m.

Tufton feels that those orders effectively ban persons from having sex with persons they do not live with, at least at night time.

Britain's new legislation bans people from socialising in an indoor space with anyone with whom they do not live with. The law doesn't apply to sports professionals, people attending funerals, vulnerable persons fleeing a risk of violence, carers, people with unavoidable work commitments, people moving homes and people who need to get medical assistance.

"I think it's already happening," Tufton said about the Jamaican situation. "I have seen complaints from persons saying they can't access their special person or fulfil their needs due to quarantine."

In Jamaica, where persons are in quarantine or isolation due to the virus or suspicion of the virus, they are not allowed to interact with anyone, even persons in the same house or building.

Jamaica's popular culture has already latched on to the impact the coronavirus lockdown has been having on people's sex lives.

Dancehall artiste Ishawna, in a steamy song Single And Quarantined, captured those frustrations well, and even made demands of Tufton and Prime Minister Andrew Holness.