Coronavirus patients who have recovered from the infection can donate plasma, potentially aiding others battling the virus, UCHealth officials said Tuesday.

The hospital last week treated its first patient with convalescent serum, a blood product that contains coronavirus antibodies from those who have recovered from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

The serum is collected via a plasma donation, similar to a blood donation, UCHealth officials said in a news release.

The treatment is not FDA-approved, but the hospital’s doctors said it’s worth a try.

“We know from previous outbreaks of infection that convalescent serum might have helped people,” UCHealth infectious disease expert Dr. David Beckham said.

“We don’t know if this is true for COVID-19 patients yet, but we are hoping that we can provide this and obtain it relatively quickly, and then distribute it quickly to patients who are sick.”

Patients who have recovered from COVID-19, who have proof of diagnosis and a subsequent negative test result, and who have been symptom-free for 14 days can check with blood banks at the Red Cross, UCHealth Garth Englund Blood center in Fort Collins, Children’s Hospital Colorado or Vitalant about making an appointment to donate plasma, according to the release.

UCHealth is partnering with the University of Colorado School of Medicine for three clinical trials of coronavirus treatments, with more in the works, according to the release.