If a potential military recruit has been diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus, it may prevent them from serving their country.
The U.S. Military Entrance Processing Command reportedly issued a memorandum to recruit processing stations that said a prior official diagnosis of the COVID-19 virus would be considered disqualifying for those looking to join the armed forces, the Military Times reported Wednesday.
“During the medical history interview or examination, a history of COVID-19, confirmed by either a laboratory test or a clinician diagnosis, is permanently disqualifying,” the memo reads. The document first surfaced on Twitter.
“During the screening process, a reported history of confirmed COVID-19 will be annotated ‘Considered disqualifying’“ pic.twitter.com/ZKx91AUbXo
— Free (@Nathaniel_Free) May 4, 2020
A spokeswoman for the Pentagon confirmed to the Military Times that the memo was authentic.
Military recruits can apply for waivers for conditions considered “permanently disqualifying,” including a positive coronavirus diagnosis, though it remains unclear what further guidance for exceptions to the policy is available.
A Pentagon official told the Washington Examiner that the missive was “interim guidance” and confirmed that “anybody that has been hospitalized with COVID-19 will be medically disqualified and would need a service waiver to join the military.”
The spokeswoman, Jessica Maxwell, did not explain why a positive COVID-19 virus result would be considered “permanently disqualifying.” There are still a number of unknowns about the flu-like illness. Among those are how permanent the virus’s damage to the respiratory system is and the possibility for patients to have flare-ups or be susceptible to contracting it again.
The coronavirus pandemic has killed at least 73,000 people in the United States and infected more than 1.2 million, according to the latest tally by Johns Hopkins University.
