Pentagon considering banning recruits who have been hospitalized by coronavirus

The Pentagon is considering banning new recruits from joining the military if they have been hospitalized for the coronavirus unless they get a waiver from the service they want to sign up with, according to a defense official.

The official said the guidance is being put in place because there is little understanding of the "long-term" effects of the virus and there is a concern that potential recruits who have been hospitalized may need further medical assessments.

The new policy is being finalized to set medical restrictions on recruits who may have tested positive or have been treated for Covid-19. Department of Defense medical waivers are required for a wide variety of medical conditions ranging from heart disease to a loss of vision.

PRESIDENT TRUMP PERSONAL VALET TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19

President Trump's personal valet has tested positive for coronavirus, and even though Trump has tested negative, doctors tell TMZ that doesn't mean he's virus-free ... and if he does have it he could have exposed many others.

The valet -- a member of the US Navy dedicated to working at the White House -- had COVID-19 symptoms Wednesday morning, and his test came back positive for the virus.

Trump was reportedly informed about the situation afterward and not happy about it, and CNN says the news is "hitting the fan" in the President's administration.

According to the White House ... both Trump and Vice President Mike Pence "have since tested negative for the virus and they remain in great health."

Here's the problem ... several doctors, including an ER physician who treats COVID patients in the ICU unit of a major L.A. hospital, say someone exposed to the virus one day may test negative the next day, even if they have the virus. The ER doc says his unit will admit people suspected of having coronavirus, and even if they test negative they will be retested for 7 days.

The reason ... the virus needs time to absorb into the body before a test will reveal the person is positive. However, that person could transmit the virus to others even if they haven't tested positive yet.