‘The Resident’ & More Medical Dramas Donate Masks To Hospitals Running Low On Supplies
Amid urgent pleas for more supplies in US hospitals treating COVID-19, medical shows like ‘The Resident’ and ‘The Good Doctor’ are donating masks, gowns and more critically needed items from their sets.
UPDATE, 3/20/20, 11:35am ET: New Amsterdam, Grey’s Anatomy, and its spinoff, Station 19, have joined the list of medical shows donating their productions’ medical supplies to hospitals in desperate need. “NBC’s medical drama New Amsterdam has donated supplies of masks, gloves, gowns and other items to the New York State Department of Health to be utilized on the basis of highest need in connection with relief efforts in New York to help the community in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis,” NBC said in a statement to HollywoodLife.
“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 back-stock of gowns and gloves which we are donating as well,” Krista Vernoff, executive producer of the two ABC dramas told Good Morning America in a statement. “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.”
ORIGINAL: Fictional hospitals are coming to the rescue of the real-life facilities running dangerously low on necessary medical supplies. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals are struggling to keep up with the demand of surgical masks, which can help protect both doctors and sick patients against the virus. FOX’s medical drama The Resident donated boxes of the show’s masks, gloves, and gowns to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta to help its staff during the crisis, rheumatologist Dr. Karen Law revealed on instagram. She thanked the production for its support during the coronavirus.
“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,” she wrote. “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 included a photo showing dozens of boxes of supplies sitting outside the emergency room at the hospital. “The team @theresidentonfox are good citizens doing good deeds and not looking for a shout out. Though I encourage all to support The Resident and the great team behind the show and to pay their good deed forward any way you can,” she added. The Resident films nearby in Atlanta, and, like many other TV shows, has shut down production amid orders to socially distance during the outbreak. And they’re not the only medical program to share the good will.
ABC’s The Good Doctor is reportedly in the process of donating its medical gear to hospitals in Vancouver. Amazing! US hospitals are in need of protective gear more than ever as the number of coronavirus, and suspected coronavirus cases continues to rise. There are currently 10,000 reported cases in the United States, and over 200,000 worldwide. Medical and political leaders have begged the public to not buy critically needed surgical masks if they’re healthy.