"We do know that it protects you 80 per cent more than those who haven't had that extra layer of protection.
"The Eastern Bay was a lot slower to get our vaccination rates up, compared to the rest of the Bay of Plenty. That means people are going to be eligible for their booster shots a little later, which is okay.
"It is so important that those who did get their vaccinations earlier are coming along and getting boosted as soon as they possibly can to make sure that these guys haven't got such a big flood of numbers when they come on board later."
She said when Omicron spread it was not going to be the same as the last two waves of Covid, which included lockdowns and people being isolated in special facilities.
"This is much more about being looked after at home. We're looking at slowing down the spread; we're not going to stamp it out in the same way. Booster shots are going to help us slow this down. With us transitioning to the red traffic light, it helps people understand that, 'yes, this is on our doorstep'."
Allan said she felt New Zealand was well placed to cope with Omicron.
"We are over 90 per cent vaccinated, the booster shots are available now, and our kids can get vaccinated ... So, we've got all those types of protections in place, which means for us in New Zealand we are at a different phase of how we can receive Omicron than other countries, but we're also in a markedly different time than it was for Delta.
"We're in such a good position, by and large, so that's something we can take heart in. The fact that we are not having to rely on lockdowns to shut us down is something that we can be proud of as a community."
She said she chose to get her booster shot in Te Teko because her daughter went to school, at Te Kohanga Reo o Te Teko, just over the road, but also because it was one of the areas where she wanted to see immunisation statistics improve.
"We really want to see our whānau get our numbers up to keep them protected from te mate urutā (the pandemic)."
She said the priority was to ensure people were protecting themselves and others, mask up and ensure people had everything they needed at home.
"We need to be having the korero with our neighbours, our kids and tamariki, and ask, 'if I'm to get sick tomorrow with Omicron, have I got the whānau in place who can help us get through?'
"I have worries about any person, anywhere, who isn't vaccinated. We still have people in our own families who still don't have their vaccinations. For those that haven't yet taken the opportunity, we urge that they do. For their own protection but also to limit the spread. I worry about every single person who hasn't chosen that path today."
According to Ministry of Health data 94 per cent of people in the Bay of Plenty District Health Board area were at least partially vaccinated while 92 per cent were fully vaccinated as of Tuesday.
