'Tears of joy': Melbourne erupts with emotion over lockdown easing

Melburnians have expressed their gratitude and excitement as Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced Melbourne’s lockdown will come to an end.

On Monday, as the state recorded zero Covid cases and zero deaths, Daniel Andrews fronted reporters to announce the easing of restrictions.

“Now is the time to congratulate every single Victorian for staying the course. Now is the time to thank every single Victorian family for being guided by the data, the science and the doctors,” he said.

Following the announcement which means the retail and hospitality sectors will be able to reopen from 11.59pm on Tuesday, people rejoiced on social media.

“Hard to understand if you live outside of Melbourne just how emotional this is,” author Jill Stark tweeted.

“Watching the Premier close to tears as he talks about the courage, compassion and sense of community we've all shown has just floored me. Feel so proud. Exhausted. Emotional. Rung out. But so proud.”

Comedian Denise Scott said she was “bawling” and “Yahoo-ing” following the announcement, while another woman described scenes of joy at a school carpark.

“Listening to @DanielAndrewsMP press conference with a teen in the car that we are opening up!” she said on Twitter.

“She’s crying. I’m tooting. Folks are flashing lights and hollering. The #Rosebud school carpark pickup is going off. Opening joy!”

West Australian Premier Mark McGowan thanks Victorians for the effort to keep the state and the rest of Australia safe.

“Australia will never forget the sacrifices you have made, and today we'll all toast your success,” he tweeted.

‘Get on the beers’

The first question Mr Andrews got asked following the announcement at the press conference was if he would be getting on the beers tonight.

“I don’t know that I’ll be drinking a beer tonight, I might go a little higher up the shelf,” the premier admitted.

“Enjoy that top shelf tonight, Dan... you’ve earned it,” one woman remarked on Twitter.

“Get on the beers” was trending on Twitter in Australia as Melburnians celebrated the move out of lockdown.

One person on Twitter anticipated the “hangover rate” in Melbourne to be slightly higher than usual.

“I’m predicting the hangover rate in Melbourne tomorrow will be roughly 4,000% higher than usual. And Melbourne has EARNED it,” the said on Twitter.

“I was hungover all of yesterday and now all I want to do is get on the beers,” someone said, perhaps eluding to a big grand final weekend.

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