When shoppers at retail stores gleefully took off their masks earlier this month, Andrew Schwartz's Hobart comic and games store did not follow suit.
Two weeks later, and with case numbers in Tasmania on the rise, he's sticking firm.
"We have a lot of younger customers, we have a lot of young kids coming in and they play games, and they wander around and we don't want to put them at risk," he said.
That move has resulted in him and his staff receiving angry responses, including threats.
"We've had people who phoned us up and told us we've lost their business, we've had people who sent us nasty emails.
"We've gotten all these reports linked to us that talk about COVID and masks and how they don't work," he said.
Mr Schwartz said customers who chose not to comply with the mask rules still had the option of shopping online — but could not enter the store.
As of March 4, masks were no longer required in retail stores and shopping centres, with hospitality venues following suit on March 11.
Masks are still required in some settings, including hospitals, public transport and aged care homes.
Mr Schwartz said daily case numbers, and the rate of five to 11-year-olds receiving two doses of a vaccine would play a large part in his decision to eventually ease the store's mask mandate.
State breaks active case record
Tasmania broke its active case record on Friday, with 9,105 cases — the highest since January 12.
The University of Tasmania has also decided to require the wearing of masks indoors until after Easter, due to the "rapid spread" of the Omicron variant BA.2 and growing case numbers.
"There has been a sharp increase in numbers in the broader community, the rate of spread is increasing," safety and wellbeing director Chris Arnold said in a memo to students and staff.
Mr Arnold said the university would move to "a more sophisticated approach" after Easter, where masks were only worn in places where physical distancing was not possible, and where there were high levels of community transmission.
Since the start of the school term, teachers and secondary students have been required to mask up, and primary school pupils can choose to if they wish but it is not mandatory.
New variant blamed for case spike
Public Health director Mark Veitch said the higher case numbers were mostly due to the new variant, rather than the relaxation of mask-wearing rules.
"It seems to spread maybe 30 per cent, 50 per cent more easily than the original strain of Omicron. It does not appear to be more severe," he said.
Dr Veitch said the increase was not leading to a spike in hospitalisations, meaning a significant rise in the number of cases would be required for public health measures to be bolstered.
Premier Peter Gutwein said the current mask-wearing rules were appropriate, but urged people to make their own decisions about whether they needed to wear one.
