It’s official: COVID-19 has killed foreplay. Data collected shows that there was a decrease in the use of foreplay during the COVID-19 pandemic. Around 24.7% of respondents made use of foreplay before the pandemic, while 6.5% engage in foreplay now.

2. Even though foreplay is dead, people are watching more porn

Malta is watching more porn. During the pandemic, 8.7% reported watching pornography every day. This has increased from the 5.8% who watched porn on a daily basis prior to the COVID-19 crisis.

3. More people are looking for love online

Whilst dating on the whole decreased, those dating by means of online chatting has increased. Only 4.1% of respondents made use of online chatting as means of dating before, whilst now, 10.9% are using it as their main dating method.

4. And maybe it’s because we’re more single now

More than half (66%) of respondents were not dating before the pandemic. This rose to almost three quarters (74.6%) who reported not dating anyone at the moment.

5. What about sex toys?

Whilst people in Malta don’t use sex toys as much as other sexual habits, there seems to be an increase in use of sex toys since the pandemic. 3.2% of respondents are making use of toys since the pandemic, up from 2.8% before.

Not to brag, but it’s probably because of this article. But then again, I don’t have the data on that.

Despite the slight increase in sex toy use, sex is less adventurous. 19.1% of the respondents claimed to have ‘adventurous sex’ before the pandemic. However, figures dropped to 14.3%, displaying a 25.4% decrease in adventurous sex.

6. Let’s talk about sex baby

People are just not getting down to it. Before the pandemic more than a quarter (26.8%) of participants reported having sex twice every week, 21.7% reported having sex fortnightly, and 17.3% reported never having sex.

But when asked how often they have had sex since the crisis, figures dropped to less than a fifth (19%) having sex twice every week, 16.2% having sex fortnightly, and 36.2% of participants reported that they are currently not having sex at all.

7. But at least Malta is sleeping more, drinking less and taking hygiene more seriously

According to results, 8.4% of participants reported getting more than 8 hours of sleep before COVID-19 and jumped to 29.4% during this pandemic.

People are exercising more too. Whilst those who engaged in vigorous exercise went down, dropping from 7.9% to 2.9%, more people are putting in the time for light exercise. More than half respondents engaged in light exercise before the crisis, while 65.4% (really?) are engaging in light exercise now.

People have reported drinking less than before. Whilst 34.3% of participants consumed no alcohol, 46.3% consumed five units, and 12.4% consumed ten units per week. Meanwhile over the entire pandemic, more than half consumed no alcohol (54.2%), 32.7% consumed five units, and 7.5% consumed ten units of alcohol per week.

And unsurprisingly, people are washing their hands more. Prior to COVID-19, only 11.6% of participants washed their hands more than 8 times a day; which has increased around fivefold to 50.7%.

Also, while only 10% of respondents washed their hands only once per day prior to the pandemic (shocking), this has gone down to 0.6%.

8. But when it comes to diet changes, some don’t even want to think about it

Before the pandemic, 69.2% reported having a balanced diet, whilst only 3.6% said that they didn’t want to think about it. But now, figures for balanced diets dropped to 63.2% and 9.7% did not even want to think how their eating habits have changed.

9. And unfortunately, couples are arguing more

Almost half of participants (45.9%) used to argue monthly before the crisis, which then decreased to 38.3%. However, those who reported arguing on a daily basis (4.7%) reported bickering more since the beginning of the pandemic (7.2%).

Moreover, 8.2% said spending too much time together was a reason for their arguments. Yikes.

BONUS: Are there any solutions to restart Malta’s sex drive?

Well, I’m no sex expert myself, but the Dutch government has recently proposed finding a sex buddy for lockdown.

Yes, you read right. The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) has issued guidelines on coronavirus and sexuality to contain the spread of the pandemic.

Although sex with your intimate partner is possible, the Institute advises single people who do not have a regular partner but desire physical contact to  “meet with the same person to have physical or sexual contact (for example, a cuddle buddy or ‘sex buddy”).

To further mitigate the risk of contracting the virus when getting it on, the RIVM urged single people “to make good arrangements with this person on how many people you both see”.

The RIVM also said that “sex with yourself or with others at a distance is possible — think of telling erotic stories to each other or masturbating together.” Noted with thanks, Holland! 

How have your sex habits changed during the pandemic?