The coronavirus measures have had a devastating effect on the sex lives of single men and women, a study by the Rutgers sexual health institute has found.

A report, compiled with sexually transmitted disease centre Soa Aids Nederland, found that one-third of men and half of women without a partner who had been sexually active before corona had not had sex at all since lockdown began.

One in five singles continued to have sex, of whom 58% of adults and 16 to 20 year-olds did so with a partner they already knew. Masturbation and porn consumption among 16 to 20-year-olds rose by 29% and 30% consecutively.

The advice given out by the national health institute RIVM at the beginning of pandemic was to have sex only with a live-in partner. It later changed this to include a ‘sex buddy’, or occasional sex partner, but the term rapidly disappeared from the institute’s site in favour of ‘a steady partner’.

‘The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way people behave,’ Soa Aids Nederland director Mark Vermeulen told NOS radio. ‘We thought it would but now it’s been confirmed.’

Although the rules have been relaxed, singles should continue to practise safe behaviour and observe the 1.5 metre distance rule as much as possible, said Vermeulen.

‘Of course single people want to be sexually active so we have come up with additional advice. We recommend that people explore what is possible while maintaining social distancing, for instance by ringing each other or masturbating at a distance.’

For physical sex the partners must follow the RIVM advice and only have sex with a steady partner and avoid taking risks with others, Vermeulen stressed.

There was good news for couples living together, Vermeulen said. ‘We see that young couples had more time for sex and enjoyed it more.’