Melbourne toasts end of long Covid lockdown

People visit a Melbourne café after enduring one of the world's most prolonged series of lockdowns. The city's five million people have spent more than 260 days under lockdown since the beginning of the pandemic. But now that 70 percent of eligible people in Melbourne and surrounding Victoria state are fully vaccinated, restrictions that began on August 5 have been lifted.

Melbourne reopened Friday after enduring one of the world's most prolonged series of lockdowns, with relieved residents toasting their freedom in bars and restaurants or queueing for desperately needed haircuts.

Struggling bar, restaurant and salon owners hailed the return of their customers and a welcome onslaught of business.

Originally published as Melbourne toasts end of long Covid lockdown