The coronavirus is causing a number of unexpected problems, including a short supply of medical necessities. As this issue is unfolding, an unexpected source is now providing help: TV shows.
Grey’s Anatomy, Station 19, and The Resident are among the medical drama television shows that are donating masks and surgical gloves. Those items are used as props on the shows but now they will be used by real doctors fighting COVID-19.
“At ‘Station 19,’ we were lucky enough to have about 300 of the coveted N95 masks which we donated to our local fire station,” according to a statement found on Good Morning America. That statement was provided by Krista Vernoff, executive producer of ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19. She also said, “They were tremendously grateful. At ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ we have a back-stock 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 those donations, we are doing our part to help them by staying home.”
There is a stockpile of some 13 million N95 respirator masks in the United States. A prediction by the government shows that as many as 1 billion masks might be needed over the next six months.
Similar donations will come from other television shows, such as The Good Doctor and Filthy Rich. Those shows will be donating food pallets and cleaning supplies.
Dr. Karen L. Law, program director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Emory University, told CNN about the donations they had received from The Resident. She Said, “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 also expressed her thanks 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,” she wrote. “And yet, a magical shipment of masks DID arrive, in the form of this very generous gesture.”
Our healthcare workers rely on personal protective equipment to stay safe, as do our first responders. It’s nice to see the shows chipping in to help.