CDC panel to meet about Pfizer vaccine on Tuesday as global death toll surpasses 5M

CHICAGO - Coronavirus has now taken the lives of more than five million people around the world.

The grim milestone reached on Monday comes just days before the Pfizer vaccine is supposed to receive approval from the Centers for Disease Control for kids ages 5 to 11-years-old.

While kids aren't often hospitalized by COVID-19, Chicago's top doctor says it doesn't mean they should skip the shot.

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"Just this week I had a young child in my own family, not my close family but my extended family, get COVID a week before the vaccine is available," Dr. Allison Arwady said. "He was pretty sick, now we're worried a little bit about post-COVID syndrome. He's still not fully well. And the other thing is children can definitely transmit it and so we don't want them missing school."

The CDC advisory panel is expected to vote on the shots as early as Tuesday.

It will then need to get final approval from CDC Director Rochelle Walensky before kids can get the vaccine.