"The fact it is still rampant out there is putting a lot of pressure on small businesses ... if you have 10-12 people in the workplace, in theory there are one or two who are absent because they've got COVID," he said.

This is drastically increasing the costs, especially for appointments-based businesses like GPs, hairdressers and others.

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With such a large number of people in the community transmitting the virus, clients ringing to cancel on the day of the appointment is becoming a big headache.

"That could be a $200-400 piece of income that you can't refill that day," he said.

Cases of the disease have been surging throughout Tasmania, with the latest government information showing an increase of 1328 cases on Monday, to 8217 cases in total as of Tuesday morning.

The surge has prompted a sharp lift in the rate of workers taking sick, personal and carer's leave, according to data from accountancy software group MYOB.

Its Personal Leave Index, which tracks sick and personal leave as a percentage against the long-term seasonally adjusted average, showed that Tasmanians in June took 55 per cent more leave than the long-term average - the highest rate of any state.

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Some companies are responding by cutting their hours.

Asked about reports of worker absenteeism affecting production at its Bell Bay Aluminium site, a spokesperson for Rio Tinto confirmed absenteeism is a problem.

"Like many businesses, we continue to experience absenteeism at BBA due to COVID. We continue to manage this, as we have been doing since the start of the pandemic," the spokesperson said.

Jill Jetson-Shumbusho, chief customer and people management officer at Bank of Us, confirmed her company has temporarily cut one day per week from its branches along the North West coast, and one day per week from its Hobart branches.

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She cited the increase in the spread of COVID as a reason.

"I can confirm the closures are due to the impact COVID and the flu are having on staff resources, and the closures are only temporary," she said.

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"We've been juggling for some time trying to keep our doors open to customers, and it has just heightened in recent weeks with this new wave."

The bank has staggered the closure days between Devonport, Burnie and Ulverston, to ensure that at least one branch is open in the region everyday, she said.

The temporary closure of the two Hobart branches has also been staggered between the CBD and the Rosny branch, she confirmed.

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