Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner urges everyone to get booster shot as he continues COVID recovery

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner is continuing his recovery from COVID-19 after he tested positive last week.

Now, he has advice for all Houstonians as Christmas approaches and the omicron variant surges.

Turner is crediting his vaccination status for his lack of severe symptoms during his recovery. He wants his experience to be a lesson to everyone.

ORIGINAL REPORT: Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner tests positive for COVID

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a release.

The mayor told ABC13 he was exposed to COVID at a speaking engagement.

He said everyone wore masks, except when speaking, and apparently one of the speakers had COVID.

So far, his illness has not been severe, and the mayor says it's thanks to the fact that he's fully vaccinated and got a booster shot.

The mayor also says his decision to get tested at the first sign of problems helped to limit the spread of COVID. He said his early symptoms mimicked allergies, but he decided to get tested anyway.

Then on Friday, he learned he had tested positive.

"Again, I credit that to the booster. I've had some coughs, some sniffles, but you know, I've been fortunate," Turner said. "I have not had fever. I have not had fatigue. None of that."

Now, he's asking everyone to follow his example; get fully vaccinated and boosted, and get tested the moment you start feeling symptoms.

"The greatest gift you can give this Christmas season is to be fully vaccinated, wear your mask and get tested," Turner said. "I get tested every two weeks."

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo echoed a similar sentiment on Monday when she raised the county COVID threat level to "orange."

"I'm raising our COVID-19 threat level to Level 2: Orange, because of rapid increases in cases and positivity rate," she said on social media. "Due to explosive growth of omicron, everyone eligible should get their booster, mask and get tested before gatherings. Unvaccinated people should minimize all contacts."

The orange threat level is Harris County's second highest COVID threat indicator. It signifies an ongoing, uncontrolled level of COVID in the county.

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READ MORE: Harris Co. Judge Lina Hidalgo raises COVID threat level to orange ahead of Christmas

The highly contagious omicron COVID variant surging across the U.S., including in Texas.