In three weeks' time Year 11 student Gabby Taylor will hit two milestones. She will both turn 16, and be eligible for a Pfizer booster shot.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has approved boosters for 16 and 17-year-olds, meaning anyone in the age group could have gotten the jab from Thursday.
Gabby said she is eager for an added layer of protection against Omicron.
"I will be safer and make others safer hopefully by taking the booster dose," she said.
"I feel like I'd be a bit more confident with maybe hanging out with friends and still following the rules set out but I think I would be more relaxed about it.
"I'm just kind of worried about people who are more vulnerable to the virus."
There is an added relief according to Gabby's mum Leah Taylor, who says they are trying to get a booking as soon as possible.
"Over the weekend spots have been taken, and because Gabby is in Year 11 this year, it's more difficult to take her out of school," she said.
"But if that's what we need to do in order to get her booster then I'm sure half an hour out of school isn't going to be the end of the world.
"One of the things that Gabby has expressed before is she's concerned about being asymptomatic with COVID and then going to visit her grandparents who are approaching their 80s."
On Thursday, ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said over 8000 more people would be eligible for boosters following the approval.
"We've got about 9000 16 and 17 year-olds in the ACT, of whom well over 8000 would already be eligible for that booster shot," she said.
"So we've already opened appointments at ACT government clinics, and indeed appointments are available today if there is a really keen 16 to 17-year-olds."
Ms Stephen-Smith said the take-up of boosters among Canberrans wasn't as high as she would like, and urged people in every age group to book in for a jab.
The health minister said there were plenty of appointments available in ACT government clinics, but some GPs and pharmacists were struggling with stock.
Capital Chemist Kingston pharmacist Yuh-Lin Gan said appointments for boosters were limited as "a lot of adults are still waiting to get their boosters".
"We've got a lot of parents keen for their teenagers to be boosted up," Ms Gan said.
"We are happy to take bookings, but it's all depending on availability of pharmacists at this stage and how much we can cope."
