Katherine businesses are playing catch up after the COVID-19 outbreak forced many of them to close over the weekend.
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Rod & Rifle TackleWorld owner Trent de With said the Katherine lockdown forced him to close on his two busiest trading days of the week, Friday and Saturday, before being able to open again today under "lockout" conditions.
"It puts us on the back foot," he said.
Mr de With expressed frustration as the "selfishness" of the individual thought to be the source of the outbreak, a 21-year-old woman who did not declare she had travelled to Melbourne before travelling to the NT.
He also said it was frustrating that Katherine was forced into a lockdown rather than a "lockout" initially like Darwin because of its lower vaccination rate.
"We were hanging for that [the lockout] and we were hoping we would get that on Friday and Saturday," Mr de With said.
"All my staff and all my family are vaccinated. A lot of other business owners in town are vaccinated.
More on the Katherine outbreak:
"These few people who aren't getting vaccinated are causing a lot of businesses to shut down."
He said there had been some teething issues with getting customers to show proof of their vaccination status, but that it was worth it to be able to keep the doors open.
"Everyone has generally been complying, it's definitely much rather how I would run."
The Finch Cafe has been hit even harder by the outbreak, with owner Chrissy McKie saying she has still not been able to open her doors as many of her staff are in isolation due to visiting exposure sites.
"We have to evolve with the times so I've been doing catering and other bits and pieces," she said.
"It's been a very difficult time. We have to do what we can to stay afloat."
"Fingers crossed we will be fully open and fully functional again tomorrow."
The Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts & Culture Centre was forced to cancel a number of events during the lockdown, including the annual Paspaley Trunk Show.
"I'm sure people were relying on that to get a new Christmas present," Venue and Performance Manager Kamahi Djordon King said.
"But, that's the climate we live in, you've got to just go with the flow."
GYRACC is open again today for people who are fully vaccinated and wear a mask.
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