"Just burst into tears." How Victorians reacted to the state's easing of restrictions.

by Chelsea McLaughlin October 26, 2020

After months and months of hard work and sacrifice, Monday finally delivered the state the news it had so desperately wanted.

First came the magic number: Zero.

Zero new cases, and zero further deaths were announced on Monday morning.

Yesterday there were no new cases and no lost lives reported. Cases with unknown source are down, as is the 14 day rolling average in Melb, this remains stable in regional Vic. There is more info here: https://t.co/eTputEZdhs #COVIDVicData pic.twitter.com/CcLKzwPQHk

— VicGovDHHS (@VicGovDHHS)

Then Premier Daniel Andrews called an afternoon press conference to address his state.

"With zero cases and so much testing, we are able to say that now is the time to open up," he said, announcing a series of eased restrictions for metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria from midnight tonight.

All retail, beauty and personal services will open, as will restaurants, cafes and bars with dining limits ( for a full breakdown of the new rules, see our explainer here).

For Melburnians, Victorians, and those of us following them on social media, our feeds changed almost instantly: There were tears, celebrations and reflection. It was glorious.

To put a smile on your dial, we've rounded up our favourite reactions to yesterday's stellar day.

Victoria, we SMASHED IT!! IM SO PROUD I LOVE YOUSE ALL!! We have had our challenges but MATE....we NAILED IT!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️💃💃💃💖💖💖🙌🙌🙌 pic.twitter.com/pRIF1kh5y1

— Magda Szubanski AO (@MagdaSzubanski)

Question to Dan Andrews: does this mean we can go back on the beers? Andrews. I won’t be having a beer. I might go higher up the shelf.

— Barrie Cassidy (@barriecassidy)

pic.twitter.com/4qGk977QbD

— Declan Bowring (@DeclanBowring)

Everyone in Melbourne’s had the same idea! Sold out donuts! 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/tsMpIoCT9V

— Sally Rugg (@sallyrugg)

I didn’t have a donut to post a picture earlier and now I don’t have a trendy beer to post. I am a Melbourne social media failure

— Kellulz (@kellulz)

We're about 1 hour from a Melbourne hipster brewery releasing a Donut Beer

— Evan Beaver (@evcricket)

So much work. So much loss. So much sacrifice. I’m so proud of us, Melbourne #DonutDay #putoutyourdonuts pic.twitter.com/CNwQz0x6UF

— Sally Rugg (@sallyrugg)

Hard to understand if you live outside of Melbourne just how emotional this is. 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.

— Jill Stark (@jillastark)

My and my waxing lady just burst into tears on the phone, Melbourne is a hotbed of feelings this atmospheric arvo 😂

— Renee Pope-Munro (@RenInOz)

I'm weeping. We're opening up. Beautiful Melbourne, beautiful Naarm. We did it. x

— Marieke Hardy (@mariekehardy)

The ring of steel comes down just in time for my parents to come from Ballarat to meet their first grandson when we bring him home from the hospital. There’s a bit more happiness for you.

— Tosh Greenslade (@ToshGreenslade)

— casey briggs (@CaseyBriggs)

I am going to go to Kmart and touch literally everything

— stupid devil (@LadyDiReeboks)

Dear Victoria, enjoy your beers/coffees out and about. So happy for all my friends, family & all the strangers too. A standing ovation for your resilience & for your Premier taking the punches while trying to keep you alive! #ThanksDan #DanAndrews

— 💧Prof Anita Heiss (@AnitaHeiss)

Listening to @DanielAndrewsMP press conference with a teen in the car that we are opening up! She’s crying. I’m tooting. Folks are flashing lights and hollering. The #Rosebud school carpark pickup is going off. Opening joy! #victorialockdown

— Andrea Rowe (@AndreaRowe_au)

Look what I just arrived home to. Well done Victoria. What an amazing State we live in and what an amazing achievement by all. Thank you. 🍩🍺 pic.twitter.com/Kv3vPKwiF5

— 🍩 Chief Health Officer, Victoria (@VictorianCHO)

the culture pic.twitter.com/mfUM4aFIFc

— Bec Shaw (@Brocklesnitch)

I’m not crying you are 😭 https://t.co/cdEzsQo974

— ✨ Groeg ✨ (@georginakelly)

I am crying a little listening to @DanielAndrewsMP ’s presser. Well done Victoria, we did this together ❤️

— Carly Findlay OAM (@carlyfindlay)

I can't wait to get back to the pub sitting at a long table and the person next to me is a friend of a friend I don't really know talking about the weather and I can hear my mates having a sick conversation down the other end and I've got a zinger lined up but I'm too far away

— Greg Larsen (@gregmlarsen)

Crying. Go Victoria you beautiful bastards!

— Adam Zwar (@adamzwar)

When @DanielAndrewsMP finally tells me "we did it" and I can go outside again pic.twitter.com/wFYWGHizWc

— Laura Voss 🤷🏼‍♀️ (@LCVoss)

me at 12.00 tomorrow night pic.twitter.com/oGh2GrryVB

— screamy (@courtwhip)

Can’t wait to blast particles all over my friends and family 😭😭😭

— lucy (@LucyXIV)

Dan Andrews once we’re back at full capacity. pic.twitter.com/Mt8zNcK12m

— Nemo (@thatnem0kid)

Congratulations to the people of victoria for making all of beer an endangered species today

— dan nolan (@dannolan)

I expected so little from this announcement that the removal of the 4 reasons to leave home made me literally clap a hand over my mouth and gasp like a pantomime actor, then just burst into tears.

— Brodie Lancaster (@brodielancaster)

GUYS I THINK WE ARE FINALLY GOING TO GET ON THE BEERS #COVID19Vic

— Patricia Karvelas (@PatsKarvelas)

As pumped as I am to go to shops, be kind to retail and hospitality workers and well, everyone cos they may be anxious as hell right now. I work in health and I’ve been terrified this whole time. Let’s be patient to the people on the floor who are trying to adjust to conditions

— Gnocchi Balboa (@BalboaGnocchi)

This morning, there's more good news - another day of zero new cases and zero lives lost.