Some of TV’s favorite medical dramas are using the unexpected hiatus to give back to those in need. Shows like Grey’s Anatomy, The Resident and Station 19 have donated much-need supplies to local emergency services, like hospitals and fire departments, as the coronavirus outbreak continues to grow around the country.
ET has learned that Grey’s Anatomy has a backstock of gowns and gloves that they are donating. Additionally, Station 19, a spin-off of the long-running ABC drama, also has donated some of their N95 masks to the City of Ontario Fire Department in California, where they had learned employees were out of new ones and forced to recycle the remaining masks that they had. The show also donated some N95 masks to Station 35 - Los Feliz, a Los Angeles firehouse.
“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,” Krista Vernoff, showrunner and executive producer of both series says in a statement issued to ET. “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.”
“Thank you to @station19 and @shondaland for the donation of N95 masks to help protect our firefighters during our COVID-19 response,” the team wrote on Instagram with the hashtag #HeroesNotJustOnTV.
Grey’s Anatomy creator and Station 19 executive producer Shonda Rhimes responded, writing, “Thank you for all you do!!”
The Fox series The Resident took advantage of the break in production on season three to help out a local hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, where the show is filmed.
“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,” Karen Law, a rheumatologist at Grady Memorial Hospital, posted on Instagram.
“Yesterday, I had a serious discussion with the residents about how, though supplies are low, a magical shipment of masks is unlikely to arrive. And yet, a magical shipment of masks DID arrive, in the form of this very generous gesture. This kind of community support means so much to our #frontlineproviders who are making many sacrifices to staff our hospitals and care for our community,” she explained, before giving another shout out to the series. “Thank you, @theresidentonfox and @foxtv for being helpers. We needed this kind of good news today.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for The Good Doctortells The Wrap that the ABC show “plans to donate its masks and other medical supplies to facilities in Vancouver, Canada,” where it has filmed all three seasons.
ET has reached out for further information.
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