Medical Dramas Like 'Grey's' Are Pitching In To Help Hospitals Fight Coronavirus

With hospitals facing shortages of essential items like masks due to the new coronavirus pandemic, medical dramas including Station 19 and Grey's Anatomy are donating supplies to hospitals and fire stations in need. In addition to ABC's Grey's Anatomy and Station 19, other shows that have made donations, or plan to do so, include Fox's The Resident and ABC's The Good Doctor. Each series had a stock of medical supplies including N95 masks, gowns, and gloves that are used as props on the shows. Now these items will be put toward helping health care workers on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis.

On Thursday, Mar. 19, ABC shared the following statement from Grey's and Station 19's executive producer Krista Vernoff with Bustle:

"At Station 19, we were lucky enough to have about 300 of the coveted N95 masks which we donated to our local fire station. They were tremendously grateful. At Grey's Anatomy, we have a backstock of gowns and gloves which we are donating as well. We are all overwhelmed with gratitude for our healthcare workers during this incredibly difficult time, and in addition to these donations, we are doing our part to help them by staying home."

Additionally, ABC's The Good Doctor reportedly plans to donate its medical supplies to hospitals in Vancouver, Canada, where the show is filmed, per Entertainment Weekly. Meanwhile, The Resident's donation to Atlanta, Georgia's Grady Memorial Hospital came at a particularly critical time.

The Fox drama donated boxes full of gloves, gowns, and masks to the hospital to help doctors and nurses stay protected as they care for COVID-19 patients. On Wednesday, Dr. Karen Law, a rheumatologist at the Atlanta hospital, shared a photo of the supplies on her Instagram, along with a moving message of thanks. "To the entire team @theresidentonfox, thank you for this incredibly generous donation of #PPE from your set, including gowns, masks, gloves, and all the things our healthcare workers need to provide safe care for our community during #COVID19," her message began. She then explained that she had just had a tough talk with her real-life residents about how to deal with supply shortages.

"Yesterday, I had a serious discussion with the residents about how, though supplies are low, a magical shipment of masks is unlikely to arrive," she continued. "And yet, a magical shipment of masks DID arrive, in the form of this very generous gesture."

Like many other TV series and movies, Grey's Anatomy and The Resident both had to stop filming before their current seasons were completed due to COVID-19. The Good Doctor and Station 19 both completed filming in early March, as reported by The Wrap. But even though the cameras have stopped rolling, these shows about doctors, nurses, and firefighters all found a way to give back to the real health care workers and firefighters who are working round the clock during the pandemic.

If you think you’re showing symptoms of coronavirus, which include fever, shortness of breath, and coughing, call NHS 111 in the UK or visit the CDC website in the U.S. for up-to-date information and resources. You can find all Bustle’s coverage of coronavirus here, and UK-specific updates on coronavirus here.