Sen. Cory Booker tests positive for COVID-19, experiencing "relatively mild" symptoms

Omicron may become the dominant strain of coronavirus

Public health officials believe Omicron will soon become the dominant strain of coronavirus, which is unsettling news so close to Christmas.

TRENTON - New Jersey Senator Cory Booker announced Sunday that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing "relatively mild" symptoms.

Booker, 52, said he is fully vaccinated and received a booster shot.

"I’m beyond grateful to have received two doses of vaccine and, more recently, a booster -- I’m certain that without them I would be doing much worse.," Booker in a statement.

Fellow democratic senator Elizabeth Warren also announced Sunday that she tested positive for COVID-19 after being negative for the virus earlier in the week.

Like Booker, Warren is also vaccinated and has received a booster shot.

"Thankfully, I am only experiencing mild symptoms & am grateful for the protection provided against serious illness that comes from being vaccinated & boosted," Warren tweeted.

COVID-19 cases across the globe have started to rise again in recent weeks. And the arrival of the highly-infectious omicron variant threatens to push case numbers even higher.

Experts have routinely called vaccinations the best weapon at combating the spread of the virus and keeping hospitals from becoming overwhelmed. Booker and Warren encouraged Americans who have not been vaccinated or received a booster dose to schedule an appointment to do so.