Hi Michelle. Thanks for reading and writing. I asked my friend who has been LAT with her apartner for 20 years. Here’s how they have been handling it:

“we are extremely vigilant about hygiene. He does not go into into any grocery stores, we order everything online. In fact, we have the groceries delivered to his place since my neighbourhood is one of the most affected and his the least. Then he brings them over here. We both are washing everything by hand, so do not spend any extended time in common rooms in our respective apartment buildings. So literally the only people that we see are one another. And every time he leaves his place to come over, he must be wearing a mask and gloves. When he enters my place, shoes left outdoors, socks at side, must clean hands rigorously immediately. I use rubbing alcohol to clean every surface he touches such as the doorknob and water taps. You get the picture! If he were still working it might be different, but he is retired and able to stay in his home. If either one of us have children at home, it might be different. But with the way it is now, I weighed the risks, and trust that he and I are being as vigilant and prudent as possible as we are literally putting each other in the other’s hands.

I feel we are extremely fortunate to have two “safe” places to go. He can take the time and space he needs in the day to be alone and I have a companion whom I trust to stay with me every night during this scary time.

e both live in small, modest apartments so being confined to just one abode would have been extremely challenging for us. But with our arrangement it has actually helped our relationship thrive.”

I hope this offers you and your partner some hope in finding a way to be together. Stay safe!