‘Summer of joy’: Last pictures Aussies in lockdown want to see

It’s a sight that will hit a nerve for millions of Australians in lockdown right now, signalling that life is “normal” for almost everyone but us.

’Summer of freedom”: Americans are celebrating their nation’s independence and the end of covid restrictions on July 4. Picture: Patrick T. Fallon/AFP

It’s the last thing millions of Australians under covid lockdown want to see.

Fourth of July parties have erupted across America, with massive crowds of people taking beaches, partying in homes and travelling to cities for events to celebrate Independence Day.

A year on from subdued celebrations while the United States was gripped by one of the worst virus outbreaks in the world, this year’s Fourth of July was “some version of a normal one” in a “moment when the pandemic is easing”, The Washington Post reported.

And that’s been the message from the White House, where officials have urged the nation to mark the holiday with “events that honour of our freedom, salute those who have been serving on the front lines, and celebrate our progress in fighting this pandemic”.

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‘A summer of freedom’: Fourth of July celebrations at Hermosa Beach, California. Picture: Patrick T. Fallon/AFP

Crowds gather to mark the Fourth of July at Coney Island beach in New York, which has lifted almost all its covid restrictions. Picture: David Dee Delgado/Getty Images/AFP

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“America is headed into a summer dramatically different from last year – a summer of freedom. A summer of joy. A summer of reunions and celebrations,” an email sent to state officials from the White House read.

While the Delta virus is spreading in pockets of the US where vaccination rates are low, and the country is still short of its July 4 vaccine target of 70 per cent, a solid 58 per cent of Americans are fully vaccinated – compared to Australia’s 9 per cent.

Revellers at Hermosa Beach, California on July 4. Picture: Patrick T. Fallon/AFP

Meanwhile in Australia, millions of Sydney residents are back in lockdown and restrictions apply for other parts of the country, including Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory. Border restrictions remain and the New Zealand travel bubble has only just reopened to a select few states and territories.

“I would much rather be in New York, because while it was awful what we went through last year, it was over pretty much within a year,” Australian expat Lauren Tudor, who lives in Manhattan, told ABC’s 7.30.

About 58 per cent of Americans are fully vaccinated. Picture: David Dee Delgado/Getty Images/AFP

Coney Island beach on July 4. Picture: David Dee Delgado/Getty Images/AFP

New York, once the global ground zero for virus infections, has now lifted almost all its restrictions.

“There is a vaccine, you can go out, you don’t have to wear masks and there is definitely reassurance that they are not going to lock down the city again,” Ms Tudor said.

Where Australia was once globally hailed for suppressing the virus, the sluggish national vaccine rollout and issues with hotel quarantine have been blamed for our current lack of progress while the rest of the world resumes pre-covid life.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison unveiled the nation’s four-step pathway out of covid lockdowns on Friday but it has been criticised for lacking timelines and targets, including a vaccine target.

“The fact is that the rest of the world is opening up, Australia continues to be locked down in large part,” Opposition leader Anthony Albanese said.

“That’s a direct result of the failure of the government on two issues: on failing to roll out the vaccine effectively and failing to put in place appropriate fit-for-purpose quarantine facilities.”

It’s not just America that seems to be celebrating its way out of the pandemic.

Huge crowds have gathered in pubs and stadiums across Europe for football’s European Championship and millions are holidaying abroad for the northern summer, including in Spain, one of the destinations where vaccinated Brits have flocked en masse for a post-lockdown getaway.

Summer revelry is so enthusiastic in the Spanish party town of Magaluf that police have stepped up nightly patrols to keep a lid on rowdy behaviour.

“It has been a year to forget, we deserve a little party,” a British student on a buck’s trip to Magaluf told Spanish media.