Grey’s Anatomy Season 17 picked up months into the pandemic, with Meredith working in the COVID ICU. Has she contracted the virus?

We knew medical dramas were going to focus on the coronavirus. Grey’s Anatomy was one of the first to confirm a storyline, sharing they were picking up months into the pandemic.

The two-hour premiere did offer some flashback scenes, clearly offering the bits that were filmed before the shutdown that couldn’t be used. We got closure on the trafficking storyline, we learned Amelia and Linc’s baby’s name, and we saw some of Webber’s recovery after the cobalt poisoning.

However, most of the focus was on the virus. Bailey had a way to control as much as possible. Grey Sloan Memorial had become a COVID hospital, so they weren’t taking normal emergencies. Well, except that other hospitals in the area were turning the emergencies away, so Grey Sloan ended up taking them anyway.

But Bailey had it down. Sadly, it was still stressful for everyone. It was also frustrating for Meredith, who was losing too many patients to a disease that nobody understood that well. And to make it worse, these patients were dying alone.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 16 5-Disc DVD Set 2020 ($)

Now it looks like Meredith has caught COVID on Grey’s Anatomy

The two-part premiere ended with Meredith unconscious in the parking lot. We got a clip of her on a beach with Derek (yes, Derek!) calling out for her. But in the parking lot, Hayes found her and rushed to her side.

The promos for Grey’s Anatomy Season 17, Episode 3 suggest that she has COVID. She’s wearing a mask while in the hospital bed and Baily is in the full PPE equipment while talking to her. The doctors aren’t wearing the full PPE equipment outside the COVID ICU, which suggests that Meredith is a patient.

This certainly makes sense. She was around COVID patients all the time. And that PPE equipment isn’t 100% foolproof. There were gaps around the jawbones and ears. There would have been ways for Meredith to catch the disease.

Fortunately, her body is fit. She’s not one of the vulnerable, so she has a good chance of fighting this off. We’ll just be on a rocky road for at least an episode or two while this storyline plays out.

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What did you think of the Grey’s Anatomy Season 17 premiere? Do you think Meredith has COVID? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Grey’s Anatomy Season 17 airs Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.