Celebrations have continued in Melbourne as the city begins its first weekend out of lockdown.
Restrictions lifted at 11.59pm on Thursday as the state reached its 70 per cent double dose vaccine milestone, with more than 90 per cent of eligible residents also having received one jab.
Cheers were heard across the CBD at midnight yesterday, with people screaming, singing, tooting car horns and blasting music in celebration of their renewed freedom after becoming the world's most locked down city.
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Those festivities have continued into today with residents enjoying their first Saturday being under relaxed restrictions.
Although the state recorded recorded 2189 new COVID-19 cases overnight and further 16 deaths, authorities still say hospitalisations are lower than expected, making opening up safe.
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Premier Daniel Andrews offered his heartfelt thanks to residents for their efforts in getting vaccinated, saying he is extremely proud of Victorians.
"As my kids say - there's a big vibe today," Mr Andrews said on Twitter.
"You can feel the optimism. You can sense the pride in what's been achieved. And after everything it's taken to get here, we absolutely deserve to feel that way.
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"We believe not next weekend but the weekend after, we will go past 80 per cent double-dosed and deliver the items in the roadmap of our national plan, and if we can go further, we will make announcements to that effect."
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Yesterday's COVID-19 numbers came from more than 77,000 tests, while some 38,000 people were given a dose of a jab.
The 16 COVID-19 deaths included a man in his 60s, four women in their 70s, three men and four women in their 80s, and one man and three women in their 90s.
There are 784 Victorians in hospital, including 145 in intensive care.
