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Olympic attendees are offered free porn to prevent Zika—but is it necessary?

Research suggests condoms and dental dams are also good preventative measures.

Photo of Cynthia McKelvey

Cynthia McKelvey

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Photo via Jim Stauffer / Flickr Remix by Max Fleishman

As the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil draw near, fears of contracting Zika have reached a fever pitch.

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Brazil was hit particularly hard with the mosquito-spread disease, and researchers have now connected contracting Zika in pregnancy with birthing a child with an abnormally small head and brain—a condition known as microcephaly. Many are worried that the people from all over the world converging in Brazil’s capital for the Olympics will contract the virus and take it home with them, causing a global health crisis.

But PornHub, as always, has a solution, and they’ve dubbed it the “Ooohlympics.”

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According to a press release, the porn site’s plan is to provide free access to its high-definition service, PornHub Premium, for all residents of Rio de Janiero, Olympic athletes, and attendees. It’ll also be handing out “Zika protection kits consisting of bug spray, tissues, and lube as well as actual Pornhub Premium gift cards,” the press release said.

There will also be a tracker for which countries are signing up, to keep with the competitive spirit of the Olympics.

The problem is that PornHub might not really need to do this.

“Visitors to the games are expected to have a low risk of getting Zika from a mosquito because the games will occur during the winter season in Rio de Janeiro… when the cooler and drier weather typically reduces mosquito populations,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spokesperson Benjamin Haynes told the Daily Dot in an email.

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However, due to the risk for microcephaly, the CDC is urging pregnant women not travel to Brazil for the games. The CDC has additional information for spectators on its website.

While the best protection against sexual transmission of Zika is abstinence, he added that condoms and dental dams, when properly used, are the next best thing. And it sounds like the athletes are well-stocked with condoms.

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But for the truly cautious, PornHub’s offer may actually help. Some scientific evidence shows that, at least in men, masturbating more often may reduce libido. And besides, who would say no to free, high-quality porn?

 
The Daily Dot