"When I first moved here, you could use WhatsApp without giving access to your contact list: you could type in a number and directly chat with a person. Then an update came and the app refused to run unless you gave access."

1. Disable Contacts app.

2. Install OpenContacts app from f-droid.org.

WhatsApp continues to work without having access to either Contacts or OpenContacts.

Instead of typing a number in WhatsApp, create a new contact in OpenContacts then start the conversation from OpenContacts.

It is easy to export and import as .vcf from OpenContacts. The .vcf files can be created and edited with a text editor.