He tested positive for the novel coronavirus in early March, and now University of Miami senior Justin Grauer is fully recovered. So, he is assisting critically ill COVID-19 patients by donating convalescent plasma, which will be given to them to help fight the virus.
In early March, Justin Grauer, a senior majoring in legal studies and real estate at the University of Miami, felt an itch in his throat. A few days later, he recorded an above-average fever. Having read about the early onset symptoms of the novel coronavirus, Grauer wondered if what he was experiencing could be attributed to the virus.
“I isolated myself immediately. On the seventh day, I really began to feel a little bit off. I took my temperature and it was around 104 degrees, which is unusual for me. When I didn’t meet the criteria for the flu, I was able to get tested for COVID-19,” Grauer said.
Though his symptoms remained mild, Grauer consulted with his doctors and was ultimately tested for the virus. Days later, he received the results that showed he had tested positive for COVID-19. After his diagnosis, Grauer became particularly attentive to news and research regarding the treatment and recovery of patients with more severe symptoms. That is when he discovered that his diagnosis had the potential to save lives.
“I began googling everything I could find about it. Upon doing some of these searches, I found out about these different experimental treatments,” Grauer said. “I saw that the convalescent plasma therapy option was a really good opportunity for someone who has recovered from this horrible virus to do something good that a lot of other people do not necessarily have the opportunity to do.”
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