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By Leonie Helm
Life Reporter
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A TikTok video of an Irish woman returning home to her family after being stuck in Australia due to COVID-19 restrictions has garnered over three million views and touched users' hearts.
In the video, Nuala Mckeever, @nualamckeever_, can be seen surprising each of her family members in turn, filming their emotional reactions.
At one point she greets her father, who acts with considerable surprise, "Dad just couldn't stop crying, no words" she says, while her mother can be heard saying, "Oh my God, oh my God my child!".
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Australia only ended its mandatory COVID isolation requirements on October 14, 2022, as it ended the "emergency phase" of its response to the virus.
Australia imposed some of the harshest lockdown policies to reduce the spread of COVID and citizens spent 19 months in lockdown. In October 2021, Australia lifted its ban on citizens leaving the country. Previously citizens were only allowed to leave the country for reasons such as essential work or to visit a dying family member.
According to the World Health Organization, to date, there have been 639.1 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, 6.6 million deaths, and just over 13 billion vaccine doses administered. They also report that at time of publishing, there have been 322,677 recorded new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours.
During the pandemic, millions of people worldwide were separated from their loved ones. One extraordinary reported reunion saw a 100-year-old man reunited with his 98-year-old sister in an emotional meet-up. World War II veteran Norman can be seen in the footage meeting his sister for the first time since the pandemic began on his 100th birthday, exclaiming "That's Jean! That's my sister!".
Another tear-jerking reunion was documented between a married couple of 62 years who were kept apart due to the restrictions. In a clip from the beginning of the pandemic, U.S.-based husband Robert can be seen talking to his wife through the window of his wife's nursing home, where she lives due to having Alzheimer's disease, and explaining that he cannot come in due to the virus. In the second part of the video the couple are emotionally reunited, "How are you, baby?" she asked him, "I'm OK," he says squeezing her hand, "How [are] you doing?", "I'm good", she replied, "I love having you".
Users shared their emotional reactions to Mckeever's video.
User JMCS said, "crying for people don't even know".
User 5028794085584 commented, "Not me lying here hungover crying my eyes out".
User Housefly01 wrote, "Loved how the entire family hugged closely. That's a sign of a strong bond. Your dad missed you the most I feel".
Newsweek has reached out to @nualamckeever_ for comment.
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