Why Grey’s Anatomy Made the Decision to Address COVID-19 in Season 17: ‘Everything Is Changing’

Ellen Pompeo

When the Grey's Anatomy writers met to discuss the upcoming season, they had to make a decision about whether to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

In a new interview with Variety, showrunner and executive producer Krista Vernoff revealed that during the first writers’ room meeting back in June, she broached the subject about not making COVID-19 part of the show.

“I think that people have fatigue of COVID, and I think they turn to our show for relief,” she recalled saying during the Zoom meeting.

However, not everyone in the room agreed.

“I think it’s the biggest medical story of our lifetimes,” Vernoff remembered co-executive producer Lynne E. Litt saying, noting that a real-life doctor on staff — who worked on the coronavirus frontlines while Grey’s Anatomy was on hiatus — said they had a responsibility “to tell this story.”

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Without giving too much away, Vernoff said that the season 17 premiere — a crossover episode with Station 19, which will air on Nov. 12 — will take place weeks into the pandemic. The episode will also include pre-pandemic flashbacks, which will incorporate footage from the episode they were in the process of shooting when the show went on hiatus in March.

In addition to the subject matter, the way the show looks will also change.

Vernoff explained that in keeping with reality, the season will not feature crowded emergency and operating rooms. They're also using different camera lenses to make it seem like the actors are standing closer together than they actually are, and are writing less scenes per script, due to the new pace of shooting.

"Everything is changing,” she told the outlet. “And I’m proud of what we’re doing.”

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Ellen Pompeo said she spent the day "letting people know that they matter"

Additionally, there’s a “massive” list of safety protocols that the cast and crew are following.

“It’s social distancing, it’s masks, it’s visors — it’s masks on the actors between takes and during rehearsals,” Vernoff said, noting that there is no speaking allowed in the hair and makeup trailer and that both the cast and anyone who comes within six feet of them must be tested for COVID-19 three times a week.

During an interview with the Television Academy in July, Vernoff opened up about tackling the global health crisis in the show's upcoming season.

"We're going to address this pandemic for sure," she said. "There’s no way to be a long-running medical show and not do the medical story of our lifetimes."

When the show began filming earlier this month, star Ellen Pompeo shared a behind-the-scenes photo from the set.

In the snap, the 50-year-old actress posed beside Richard Flood, who plays Dr. Cormac Hayes, as both stars wore face masks as part of the new on-set safety protocols for the show.

"First time back in my scrubs," Pompeo began the caption to her Instagram post. "Since we shut down filming 7,000 healthcare workers have died from Covid."

The actress then dedicated season 17 to "all who have fallen and to everyone of you who by the grace of God is still standing," adding, "This season is for you with humility and a bit of humor to get us through and endless amounts of gratitude. I hope we do you proud."

Season 17 of Grey's Anatomy will premiere Thursday, Nov. 12 from 9-11 p.m. ET on ABC.

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