Many Canberra business owners have struggled to keep afloat since Canberra's COVID-19 health directions began in earnest last year, with the policing of face masks, density limits and check-in requirements being left to establishment staff.
Now the ACT government has announced that from 6pm on Friday, February 25, face masks will only be required to be worn in a select few indoor settings.
Masks will still be required on public transport, in rideshares, indoors at any school or childcare centre, at hospitals and other healthcare facilities, correctional facilities and the Canberra Airport.
All other spaces in the ACT no longer require their use, which means a big change for businesses that have been left to enforce mask-wearing indoors since June last year.
Some local business owners say they are hopeful the easing of mask mandates will allow them to move to a new, easier phase of running through COVID times.
But with the decision to wear or not wear a mask now falling to the customer, staff and business owners will have to decide for themselves if they feel comfortable removing their own masks at work.
'We do have to get back to some normality'
Rebecca Guymer of Sassy Hair Salon in Weston said she welcomes the easing of mask requirements, as her staff are tiring of wearing masks for the entirety of their workdays.
"I think though that they understand the importance of wearing a mask for them, their fellow colleagues and their families. It's an important thing that they do."
Ms Guymer said throughout the Omicron wave in Canberra her staff had differing willingness to work on customers without masks.
"We had some staff that were very clear on the fact that they wouldn't work on people without masks and we had others that were willing to just roll with it as well," she said.
But when the masks are allowed to drop tomorrow, Ms Guymer says she and her team will be ready to accept any personal choice regarding face mask use.
"I feel that as long as we are protected in that sense, we do believe that it's everyone's personal choice as to whether they want to wear it or not within the salon," she said.
'To see people smile again and laugh again makes a huge difference'
Mik Bergersen, the owner of live music venue The Basement, said he was thrilled to see mask-wearing requirements ease tomorrow and hopes with the coverings no longer required in his venue, more patrons will feel safe to return.
Mr Bergersen said he believed that after Canberra's long stint with COVID-19 in the community, people were at a place where they could decide for themselves if they felt it was safe to socialise closer to pre-pandemic levels.
"We're at a stage now where people are pretty well-informed and they can make their decisions as to whether they think they're in a high-risk category and might opt to stay home, or whether they're healthy and they're feeling ready to come out and socialise and spend time with their friends and family again."
Much like Ms Guymer, Mr Bergersen said he has no intention of forcing his staff or patrons to don the face coverings, nor to take them off should they decide to wear them as a precaution.
"Some nights here there's plenty of space and lots of room to move and on other nights we're hoping we'll be back to a busy, crowded bar scene again. In those circumstances, if patrons or staff want to continue wearing masks then that's absolutely fine, and I think we'll see that be normal."
He said above all else, he was excited to see people dancing and singing along to the live music at the venue once more.
