CNN to feature teen climate activist Greta Thunberg in coronavirus town hall

CNN announced Wednesday it will feature teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg in its next “Coronavirus: Facts and Fears” town hall program set for Thursday night on the cable channel.

The town hall, hosted by “AC 360” anchor Anderson Cooper and CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, will also include former acting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Richard Besser and former Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. Both officials served in the Obama administration.

Former acting CDC director Richard Besser, former HHS secretary Kathleen Sebelius and activist Greta Thunberg join @AndersonCooper & @DrSanjayGupta for a live #CNNTownHall. Coronavirus – Facts and Fears, Thursday at 8 p.m. ET pic.twitter.com/I4FrXgwaL6

— CNN (@CNN) May 13, 2020

The town hall on Thursday night comes one week after the network welcomed filmmaker Spike Lee as well as former Vice President Al Gore to discuss COVID-19.

Thunberg has become an outspoken figure, drawing considerable media attention since leading school strikes in her home country of Sweden in 2018.

Thunberg was awarded Time’s Person of the Year award while also being nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 2019.

Thunberg said earlier this year that she had recovered from what she believed were mild coronavirus symptoms.

The town hall will mark CNN’s 11th such program on the coronavirus since launching the series in late February.

Overall, the U.S. death toll from coronavirus stands at more than 80,000, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.