TV doctors donate their masks, medical supplies to real hospitals to fight coronavirus
Doctors and nurses beleaguered by a nationwide mask shortage amid the coronavirus pandemic are getting help from an unlikely benefactor: their counterparts on television.
Medical TV dramas such as “The Resident” and the Grey’s Anatomy spin off “Station 19” have donated boxes of on-set supplies — including much-needed masks — to local hospitals and emergency personnel where they film.
Healthcare workers have been told to use bandannas or scarves in lieu of face masks as the number of COVID-19 cases continue to rise, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
But on Tuesday, Grady Hospital in Atlanta got a well-timed surprise.
According to an Instagram post by Dr. Karen Law, hospital workers received an unexpected shipment of gowns, masks and gloves from the set of “The Resident,” a medical drama on Fox.
“I had a serious discussion with the residents about how, though supplies are low, a magical shipment of masks is unlikely to arrive,” Law said in the post. “And yet, a magical shipment of masks DID arrive, in the form of this very generous gesture.”
Meanwhile in Canada, the Ontario Fire Department thanked “Station 19” and Shondaland for sending its firefighters boxes of N95 masks.
Shondaland is the production company founded by writer and producer Shonda Rhimes — the creator behind “Grey’s Anatomy,” “How to Get Away With Murder” and “Scandal.”
“The Good Doctor” on ABC is also planning to donate some of its supplies to medical personnel in Vancouver, where parts of the show are filmed, Entertainment Weekly reported.
This story was originally published March 19, 2020 at 1:30 PM.
