When are you willing to hire again?

[The Dude]

When the risk of infection is SIGNIFICANTLY lower, like zero.

[thickornotatall]

After the huge dip in my 401k I'll wait til there is some sort of recovery..here and in Europe...I had to cancel my Barcelona/Madrid..Paris/London month....Until then I'll suffer...

[+ 7829V]

When the risk of infection is SIGNIFICANTLY lower, like zero.

Like in 2022 then

[+ DrownedBoy]

When the risk of infection is SIGNIFICANTLY lower, like zero.

 

That's never. Don't forget the regular flu can kill you too.

[The Dude]

That's never. Don't forget the regular flu can kill you too.

Oh, you're one of those. The flu isn't nearly as contagious... or deadly.

[Jomo]

At this moment in time, I'm planning on a mid June meet up with a favorite, and repeat provider..Contingent upon our two states opening up......

[Islesguy]

Two answers from me. For guys in Australia, I have no idea when I'd be prepared to hire again. There's no-one in my local area that interests me (so far), so maybe when I can travel that will be enough for me to be prepared to hire in places I can go to. As for the US, it doesn't look as if travel there from Australia will be possible any time soon. If that becomes possible, I'd be prepared to hire, and there's one guy in NYC and another in Connecticut that I would meet in a heartbeat. Also a couple of guys in Las Vegas (if everyone isn't killed in a placebo trial), and some LA/OC guys.

 

I'm not lacking in caution, rather, if I can travel to places I'm prepared to take the risk of hiring when I'm there.

I have a feeling I know who the Connecticut escort is. If it is who I think, he'd be one of my first hires as well if I could get an appointment.

[Islesguy]

Well glad to see you have apparently recovered, whatever the illness may have been.

I have seasonal allergies and scratchy throat with bananas and tomatoes on rare occasions.

I have you beat though on being allergic to the most inescapable thing of all, especially in Vegas: the sun!

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK109193/

You could call that Gizmo disease (Gremlins reference). I have relatives that are allergic to cold, as in ice, cold water, etc.

[+ blondeq]

I do most hiring while travelling for work. Presently, I've cancelled travel until mid-June. It is possible that I may hire then, depending on the statistics, but likely it will be July/August. I am less worried about Covid during the summer months than I am about the potential resurgence in the fall/winter months.

[youngboldone]

I'm so torn about this. Like many of you, I've grown tired of porn and my hand. That's not gonna suffice long term. As for hiring, it seems too risky for quite awhile for the reason many of you have stated: even if I could trust that the escort is okay, how can I be sure someone he's recently had sex with isn't asymptomatic? Forgive me if I'm going off on a tangent, but what I'm struggling with more is when to start having sex with my fwbs again. My closest fwb said the other day he isn't sure he feels comfortable having sex again until there's a vaccine. There is just no way I can abstain from sex with another human until 2021 or beyond. So...I'm wondering what is the point that has to be reached where I can feel comfortable taking a calculated risk?

 

Some of the guys I've met are ready to break quarantine and start back up. Some of like my closest fwb and want to abstain until they feel absolutely safe. Some are offering compromises like no kissing and simple fucking with masks on. One guy wants me to come over so we can fuck through his glory hole. The compromises sound enticing, and yet, the kissing and the intimacy are what really define sex for me. That experience of sharing a connection with someone. I've never been good at clinical, no frills, random hookup fucking. I'm sorry if I'm rambling. I'm just very conflicted, very horny, and very depressed as this pandemic drags on with no real end in sight.

[+ keroscenefire]

I'm so torn about this. Like many of you, I've grown tired of porn and my hand. That's not gonna suffice long term. As for hiring, it seems too risky for quite awhile for the reason many of you have stated: even if I could trust that the escort is okay, how can I be sure someone he's recently had sex with isn't asymptomatic? Forgive me if I'm going off on a tangent, but what I'm struggling with more is when to start having sex with my fwbs again. My closest fwb said the other day he isn't sure he feels comfortable having sex again until there's a vaccine. There is just no way I can abstain from sex with another human until 2021 or beyond. So...I'm wondering what is the point that has to be reached where I can feel comfortable taking a calculated risk?

 

We have to realize there is no such thing as no risk when it comes to sex. Anyone who at the height of the HIV epidemic who said, "I'm not going to have sex again until there is no risk that I will contract this disease," would still be celibate today. Even if we have a stable partner, you are still trusting him to be monogamous to you, which is no guarantee. In the case of COVID, it's even more true. So all we can do it try to assess the risk the best we can and decide when we feel comfortable with putting ourselves out there again.

 

In my opinion, the risk is fairly low if there is A)solid testing b) low COVID-transmission for the last 2 weeks in your community C) you meet with someone who is fairly low risk and trusted (no random hook ups, hasn't travelled recently, and hasn't been in any larger groups). Obviously it'll be best when there is a vaccine, but we don't know when that will be. Even if there is, some scientists have been saying it could be more like flu vaccines where it only offers immunity for a year or so and you will have to get revaccinated or risk reinfection. This is going to be with us for a while....hopefully our celibacy won't have to be.

[DMICS]

Some of the guys I've met are ready to break quarantine and start back up. Some of like my closest fwb and want to abstain until they feel absolutely safe. Some are offering compromises like no kissing and simple fucking with masks on. One guy wants me to come over so we can fuck through his glory hole. The compromises sound enticing, and yet, the kissing and the intimacy are what really define sex for me. That experience of sharing a connection with someone. I've never been good at clinical, no frills, random hookup fucking. I'm sorry if I'm rambling. I'm just very conflicted, very horny, and very depressed as this pandemic drags on with no real end in sight.

 

Speaking outside of escorting...

 

...I know people that were holding off in the beginning when this lockdown started. But now, almost 2 months in, they've started to venture out and hookup again. This is also happening as the weather is getting better, and once it really warms up I don't know how some will keep to themselves. Locally I've heard that the main outdoor cruising parks have been really busy the past few days, again as the weather has been nice. In fact a few local providers + pornstars have been spotted at these popular cruising spots.

 

I think many single people will return to regular sexual activity if it was at a high level before this pandemic. They'll just "try" to take "precautions" to mentally justify meeting someone.

[+ Just Sayin]

I had a chance to look at all of the RM listings for LA a couple of days ago; they are down by 1/3 and of the other 2/3, a vast majority appear to be in business as usual; for those of us who are single, this has been quite a "dry spell:" the lack of intimacy has been VERY difficult and at some point that river of desire has to flow over the banks; just sayin'

[+ Snbrd]

Youngboldone: You're not rambling...you're expressing the sentiment of many us.

[filmbuff78]

When the risk of infection is SIGNIFICANTLY lower, like zero.

 

That's never. Don't forget the regular flu can kill you too.

 

Oh, you're one of those. The flu isn't nearly as contagious... or deadly.

 

Yes. It's estimated to be 10 times deadlier than the flu, which kills .1% of cases every year (CDC). So that means COVID kills 1% - a 99% survival rate.

 

It depends on which number you focus on. But unless you're high risk, to never hire again because of a virus that has a 99% survival rate seems like overkill to me. And to belittle others for stating the obvious (there will never be zero risk of infection, and the flu can kill) sounds like someone who can't defend their argument, so they attack instead.

[+ Pensant]

After the huge dip in my 401k I'll wait til there is some sort of recovery..here and in Europe...I had to cancel my Barcelona/Madrid..Paris/London month....Until then I'll suffer...

Hasn’t the recent rally helped your 401k?

[thickornotatall]

Hasn’t the recent rally helped your 401k?

It's up one week....down the next..the wild gyrations are unnerving..but expected....After a visit to my money manager he did some buying and selling to keep me from not being involved in some volatility...but until we come to an answer I am ..as is everyone ...waiting it out...I still haven't received my $1200 from our inept federal government. ..

[The Dude]

Yes. It's estimated to be 10 times deadlier than the flu, which kills .1% of cases every year (CDC). So that means COVID kills 1% - a 99% survival rate.

 

It depends on which number you focus on. But unless you're high risk, to never hire again because of a virus that has a 99% survival rate seems like overkill to me. And to belittle others for stating the obvious (there will never be zero risk of infection, and the flu can kill) sounds like someone who can't defend their argument, so they attack instead.

You have no idea what my situation is, and it seems like you're doing some belittling yourself.

[xyz48B]

There is always a risk of getting sick, with any number of illnesses. It so happens presently we are fixated on one illness, which our present data does suggest is more virulent than other common diseases.

 

I once postponed a meetup because I was sick. In part because I was sick but I also wanted the escort to have the chance to decide what he wanted to do. He decided postponing was a good idea and thanked me for postponing so he didn’t get sick. That was all before COVID. The point? If you’re sick, you can make someone else sick. There’s always risk.

[down_to_business]

While they both can kill, there is a huge difference between flu and Covid-19. We have knowledge, understanding, experience and certainty with flu. There is even a vaccine. An individual knows when they are sick with the flu.

 

Covid-19 is a whole different story. Here is an excerpt from one such incident:

From 1 to 9: How AC air spread coronavirus to 3 families at a restaurant in China

In January, when the coronavirus epicentre Wuhan was yet to be locked down completely, a family was dining at a restaurant in Guangzhou. The family had come from Wuhan and one of them was carrying the virus unknowingly. Days later, nine others who dined at the restaurant started showing symptoms of coronavirus.

The virus travelled through the air conditioner duct at the restaurant and infected three families sitting in the vicinity of each other who never engaged with the other.

Seventy three other diners and staff of the restaurant were not infected. The curious case of the Chinese restaurant has been cited by experts in a research paper in China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention, reported the New York Times.

The experts have concluded that three families were infected by the one index patient belonging to 'Family A'. This family with the index patient has been named by the Chinese experts as 'Family A' while the two other families are 'Family B' and 'Family C'.

Family dined at the Guangzhou restaurant on January 24. Later that day a 63-year-old member of the family started coughing and developed a fever. She later tested positive for coronavirus.

According to the report, within two weeks, nine others who dined in the restaurant the same day, also tested positive for the novel coronavirus that originated in Wuhan.

Four of them were relatives of the woman while the others were from families sitting on tables on both sides of Family A's table at the restaurant.

Chinese experts have drawn the conclusion that these unrelated families must have contracted the virus from the restaurant where they both spent over an hour sitting at a distance from Family A.

An air conditioner placed above Family C's table blew air over the three tables in a southward direction where it hit the wall and returned.

As coronavirus had not spread beyond Wuhan in January, researchers believe Family A from Wuhan spread the virus to the other two families.

According to the NYT report, experts believe this case and other such cases will likely change dining patterns and the practice of eating out in the post-pandemic world.

The Chinese researchers have concluded that droplets carrying the virus was transmitted through the air conditioning unit in the restaurant and the direction of the airflow was a key contributor.

 

Covid-19 is not well understood. We do know it spreads easier, maybe even airborne (source).

 

We know that it is also likely spread from asymptomatic people ( ones that show no symptoms or even have any idea they are sick). source

 

It is creating many dangerous non-flulike effects (for example):

Brain

Lungs

Inflamatory syndrome in children

 

I will add one important thing. I personally don't think it is any riskier to meet with an escort than with an individual on Grindr that has a lot of sexual partners. This is why I am currently abstaining from both until I feel the scientific community has evidence it is safer to do so.

One final point.

Admit It: You Are Willing to Let People Die to End the Shutdown

 

The question is how many and how soon. In the pandemic, everyone is a moral relativist.

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/04/30/coronavirus-shutdown-altitude-ethics-223569

 

Even though I as an individual may not die from Covid-19, I am not sure I am ready to be the reason another person's parents die or child gets seriously sick. Karma is a bitch!

[MikeBiDude]

Even though I as an individual may not die from Covid-19, I am not sure I am ready to be the reason another person's parents die or child gets seriously sick. Karma is a bitch!

This is currently 100% the way I feel. I can’t agree more ??

[Aaron James]

The world is looking on in horror at how the US is reopening. Here in the U.K. we’re 10 weeks into lockdown and there is no end in sight yet. Ireland have just released their plan for reopening and its a five-phased approach with continued social distancing in effect for at least three more months. France, Spain and Italy have all passed their plateaus and even they are only moderately reducing their lockdowns.

 

I used to hire a few times a month and I’m not even considering it right now.

 

That’s just my opinion.

[big-n-tall]

The world is looking on in horror at how the US is reopening. Here in the U.K. we’re 10 weeks into lockdown and there is no end in sight yet. Ireland have just released their plan for reopening and its a five-phased approach with continued social distancing in effect for at least three more months. France, Spain and Italy have all passed their plateaus and even they are only moderately reducing their lockdowns.

 

I used to hire a few times a month and I’m not even considering it right now.

 

That’s just my opinion.

 

Sadly, we live in a country that a lot of our citizens don't like being told what to do, even if it's for their own benefit. It doesn't help that the U.S. is getting mixed messages from leadership, which complicates things further.

[MikeBiDude]

The world is looking on in horror at how the US is reopening. Here in the U.K. we’re 10 weeks into lockdown and there is no end in sight yet. Ireland have just released their plan for reopening and its a five-phased approach with continued social distancing in effect for at least three more months. France, Spain and Italy have all passed their plateaus and even they are only moderately reducing their lockdowns.

 

I used to hire a few times a month and I’m not even considering it right now.

 

That’s just my opinion.

I’m looking on in horror from SoCal!

[thickornotatall]

I’m looking on in horror from SoCal!

Nightmare ..Horror Show here in North Florida....50% or more of these here yokels don't think they would ever get sick...They think the TV is talking to someone else..They are Fox News Nuts...I live in an upscale neighborhood and still I see very few people taking precautions...

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=234637631183489