When ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" returns to television after an unprecedented shutdown, it will address the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The fan-favourite doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital will pay a tribute to the real-life doctors who have been battling the virus outbreak for months.

The details about the much-awaited "Grey's Anatomy" season 17 was revealed during a virtual Television Academy panel held on Tuesday. Showrunner Krista Vernoff joined series regulars Chandra Wilson (Miranda Bailey) and Kevin McKidd (Owen Hunt) for "Quaranstreaming: Comfort TV That Keeps Us Going" panel, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Speaking at the panel, Vernoff confirmed that the current global health crisis will shape the storyline for long-running medical series' newest installment. They will tell the "medical story of our lifetimes."

"We're going to address this pandemic for sure," Vernoff spilled the plans for the next instalment of the series. "There's no way to be a long-running medical show and not do the medical story of our lifetimes."

Meanwhile, the crew and actors have started the work of creating a storyline and are reportedly meeting up with real-life doctors who have dedicated their efforts at curbing the COVID-19 pandemic. Vernoff believes that her show has the "opportunity" and "responsibility" to tell the stories from extraordinary times that no one was prepared for. It appears Owen Hunt, who is the head of trauma surgery will remain at the core of this story arc.

"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," she explained. "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. 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."

"Grey's Anatomy" season 16 ran out of fresh episodes on April 9 after the production of the remaining episodes was suspended due to the virus outbreak. Twenty-one out of 25 episodes went on air, making it one of the shortest seasons of series' 15-year run.

Grey's Anatomy
ABC

ABC's long-running medical drama will return with a fresh season, now. However, the filming is yet to begin and the date for which remains undecided. Fans will certainly have to wait a bit longer to see all-new "Grey's Anatomy" season 17 as it remains postponed.