Grey's Anatomy will focus on the coronavirus pandemic in season 17

22 July 2020, 11:27

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Sam  Prance

By Sam Prance

Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital is going to be affected by COVID-19 in Grey's Anatomy season 17.

Grey's Anatomy season 17 is on its way and we now have confirmation that the series will tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking in the Television Academy's "Quaranstreaming: Comfort TV That Keeps Us Going" panel yesterday (Jul 21), Grey's Anatomy executive producer Krista Vernoff teased that season 17 will feature COVID-19. She said: "We’re going to address this pandemic for sure. There’s no way to be a long-running medical show and not do the medical story of our lifetimes."

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Krista then opened up about how season 17 will be inspired by real-life coronavirus stories that are happening right now.

Grey's Anatomy season 17 will tackle coronavirus
Grey's Anatomy season 17 will tackle coronavirus. Picture: Kelsey McNeal/ABC via Getty Images, ABC

Krista said: "Every year, we have doctors come and tell us their stories, and usually they’re telling their funniest or craziest stories. This year, it has felt more like therapy. The doctors come in and we’re the first people they’re talking to about these types of experiences they’re having. They are literally shaking and trying not to cry, they’re pale, and they’re talking about it as war — a war that they were not trained for."

Krista then explained that Owen will play a key part this season: "And that’s been one of our big conversations about Owen, is that he’s actually trained for this in a way that most of the other doctors aren’t." She added: "I feel like our show has an opportunity and a responsibility to tell some of those stories."

It's currently unclear exactly when Grey's Anatomy season 17 will return since filming is yet to commence due to coronavirus. We shall keep you informed as soon as we have more updates.

What do you think? Should Grey's Anatomy cover coronavirus?