The Pentagon announced Thursday that it has given up considering Covid-19 as a "disqualifying" disease to serve in its ranks, just like asthma or tuberculosis. Pentagon chief of staff Matthew Donovan said that he "canceled" a circular on admission conditions for new recruits which stipulated that anyone who had to be hospitalized after contracting Covid-19 be "medically disqualified" .
"At the same time, we asked our health professionals, our doctors and researchers, to see what recommendations they could make to us" on this subject, he added during a press briefing. If a new recruit is not fully recovered or has suffered lasting side effects, they may be refused immediate entry into the armed forces.
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This circular was issued in early May, when the US military was concerned about the long-term effects of the new coronavirus on the pulmonary system of critically ill patients. Each branch of the U.S. military can still grant waivers.
The Pentagon on Thursday recorded 5,888 cases of Covid-19 in the United States military since the start of the pandemic, of which 129 were hospitalized and two died.