Can you have STI's as a virgin?

[throwaway2049]

Me (female) and my girlfriend are hoping to become more intimate soon. Neither of us has done anything below the belt with anyone else. Is it worth getting tested beforehand? Or should we be ok if we don't use protection?

[Sam W]

Hi throwaway2049,

If any two people have had NO sexual contact of any kind with other partners, then either of them having a sexually transmitted infection is highly unlikely. It's still best to make sure everyone is tested before sexual activity occurs but you can know that this is not a likely scenario with most STIs. That being said, there's a a really good rundown of the caveats to that statement here: https://www.scarleteen.com/article/advi ... anguage=de.

Too, I also have to add that another health concern right now is if you and your girlfriend are not already living together, the going recommendation is still to avoid sexual contact due to the risk of covid-19 transmission it presents.