Keen-eyed Victorians have noticed a pattern over the past few months; if Premier Daniel Andrews arrives at the daily press conference wearing a North Face jacket, it’s good news.
‘North Face’ began trending on Twitter hours before the media update on Monday. And when Andrews finally arrived wearing the infamous jacket, Victorians were hopeful.
“Dan better be in North Face, and saying 'GET ON THE BEERS',” one person tweeted ahead of the conference.
“Like, even if he says 'It's *nearly time* to get on the beers', I would be okay with that.”
Then came the good news… Victoria would be relaxing restrictions.
“HANG THIS NORTH FACE JACKET IN THE MELBOURNE MUSEUM,” one person joked.
"We are able to say that now is the time to open up,” Andrews told reporters.
“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 added.
“I could not be prouder than I am today to lead a state that has shown the courage, the compassion, and the character to get this job done.”
From midnight on Tuesday, pubs, restaurants and cafes will be able to reopen.
The 25km travel limit will also be lifted from midnight on November 8, but state borders will remain closed.
The state has had one of the longest lockdowns in the world, with Victorians placed under for more than 12 weeks after a second wave that peaked at 723 cases.
Many celebrated their newfound freedom and the fact they could now ‘get on the beers’ on social media.
An emotional Daniel Andrews -- who’s hardly had a day off since the pandemic began -- said he wouldn’t be cracking open a beer tonight to celebrate the relaxing of restrictions across the state.
Instead, he admitted, he “might go a little higher up the shelf.”
“Anybody else feeling like crying tears of happiness please meet me in the park at 6,” journalist Ulises Izquierdo wrote on Twitter.
“Melbourne!!! We can celebrate at a pub AS OF TOMORROW,” tweeted NRL team Melbourne Storm, who won the Grand Final last night.
Earlier, Victorians posted photos on social media of baked goods to simultaneously celebrate ‘Donut Day' and reaching the milestone of zero COVID-19 cases and zero deaths.
“People posting pics of donuts without holes in them just don’t get it,” joked comedian Dave Hughes
“Living in Vic during lockdown is tough. But…the majority of us have pulled together to do what no one else in the world has,” another person added.
“We’ve got our donuts, now we’re gonna eat em”
