After Beating COVID-19, Middletown Man Donates Plasma For Antibody Research

Back in early March – what may feel like 10 years ago for many – Middletown resident Kevin Strouse attended a meeting for a nonprofit to discuss steps the organization could take if serious measures were taken to stem the flow of COVID-19. At this meeting, Strouse and about nine other attendees were infected with the virus, well before Gov. Tom Wolf’s shelter-in-place orders were implemented.

The virus’ incubation period took about four days for Strouse, a former congressional candidate, U.S. Army Ranger, and CIA analyst.

On March 14, he had a low-grade fever and the beginning of a dry cough that would last for two weeks. For a few days in the middle, Strouse felt exceptionally sleepy and as if he could barely stay awake. The doctor told Strouse not to come in unless his fever worsened or he experienced respiratory distress.

Neither symptom came, and in a few weeks, the illness was in the rear view.

After he was recovered, an email came through from one of the attendees at the nonprofit meeting. It turns out, one of the attendees was in contact with someone who had tested positive. Other attendees emailed the group, saying they all had felt sick in the weeks following the meeting.

“Once others chimed in, it was clear what had happened,” Strouse said.

No one else in Strouse’s family, including his wife, Middletown Township supervisor Amy Strouse, came down with the virus.

“In that sense, we really lucked out,” Strouse reflected.

Strouse made it through the virus with very mild symptoms and without spreading it to anyone.

“I appreciate how lucky I was,” he added.

The Strouse family lives in Middletown Township, right down the road from the St. Mary’s Medical Center. As the weeks passed and Strouse saw the nurses and grocery workers head to their shifts, he wanted a way to give back and help the cause.

Through word of mouth, he became aware of Plasma Services Group, which is based in Upper Moreland in Montgomery County. The company sources disease-state plasma for use in developing tests, cures, and more for various diseases.

Strouse heard the company was collecting plasma of patients who recovered from COVID-19 and immediately set out to see how he could see if he was eligible to donate.

Specifically, the Plasma Services Group is collecting material to research and develop antibody tests for the novel coronavirus.

“The more plasma collected, the more data we can generate for scientists to study the virus. It is important for researchers and scientists to have as many different plasma and blood samples as possible when studying antibodies and the body’s reaction to the virus,” explained Mike Delahanty, donor liaison at Plasma Services Group. “There is a global need for COVID-19 plasma as researchers race to bring antibody test kits to the world. By supplying R&D departments and kit manufacturers with this crucial raw material, we are directly helping the medical diagnostic industry and the public at large. We want the public to know that people who have recovered from COVID-19 are the answer to solving this national and global health crisis.”

Plasma Services Group confirmed Strouse has the antibodies that came from fighting COVID-19. From there, he was able to donate plasma.

“Anything I can do to do my part, I was happy to do,” Strouse said. “After all, we are all in this together, whether we like it or not.”

So far, Plasma Services Group has accepted 12 patients, including Strouse, for active donations.

The company is in the process of investigating about 50 more applications from patients who hope to donate and aid in the fight against COVID-19, Delahanty told LevittownNow.com.

“The more people who give a sample, the more critical information researchers have, and the faster we understand and learn how to stop the virus.”

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