Open this photo in gallery

       Ontario says everyone 18 and over who had a first dose of an mRNA vaccine can book an appointment to receive their second shot ahead of schedule.

       Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press

       All Ontario adults are eligible for an accelerated second dose of COVID-19 vaccine as of today.

       The province says everyone 18 and over who had a first dose of an mRNA vaccine can book an appointment to receive their second shot ahead of schedule.

       The government says this expands eligibility for an earlier second dose to 1.5 million more people.

       Story continues below advertisement

       Recipients of a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna mRNA vaccine can receive their second dose of either shot as soon as 28 days after their first jab.

       Those who got the Oxford-AstraZeneca product as a first dose must wait at least eight weeks before getting a second shot, either of the same vaccine or of one of the mRNA vaccines.

       The expansion of accelerated second doses comes just days before Ontario is due to enter Stage 2 of its reopening, which will allow indoor gatherings of up to five people and see hair salons resume operation for the first time in months.

       Nearly 30% of respondents in Canada-wide survey admitted to breaking COVID-19 restrictions Almost 30 per cent of respondents in a newly released Canada-wide survey admitted to breaking COVID-19 rules – and felt justified doing so.

       The survey by the Canadian Hub for Applied and Social Research at the University of Saskatchewan was done between June 1 and June 14. It asked 1,000 people about how closely they stuck to public health orders and where they were getting their information about the pandemic.

       Some 29 per cent said they broke at least one COVID-19 restriction. The most common transgressions were around gathering limits and wearing masks.

       But the survey also found that respondents were generally diligent about following isolation requirements and gave honest responses to COVID-19 screening questions.

       Story continues below advertisement

       Of the people who broke rules, 62 per cent said they felt it was justified. Their reasons included wanting to see friends and family (27 per cent) and a belief that they were violating restrictions in a safe way (17 per cent). Some said they ignored rules they didn’t think made any sense (21 per cent) and seven per cent said they didn’t believe the pandemic exists or is a problem.

       The survey says some people did not think regulations “made sense for them” because they were fully vaccinated and they felt what they were doing was safe given their status.

       The survey has a 3.1 per cent margin of error, plus or minus, 19 times out of 20.

       Saskatchewan Minister of Health Paul Merriman said he believes social media has played a major role in confusing people about public health measures meant to stem the spread of COVID-19.

       “The issue that I saw during most of the restrictions that have been implemented since the fall was that there were lots of interpretations going around on social media and the rumour mill,” he said.

       “We tried to communicate this in a very clear way, (but) unfortunately some of it got twisted on social media. That wasn’t clear and created some confusion, which people didn’t need.”

       Story continues below advertisement

       The survey found that 35 per cent of people were getting their COVID-19 news from social media – particularly Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – and 71 per cent were getting news by word of mouth.

       The greatest number of people – 88 per cent – were getting their news from online or TV news outlets, and 70 per cent also informed themselves through government websites.

       Merriman said the data reflects what he has seen in Saskatchewan, where people were motivated to seek out good information from multiple sources.

       “I understand there was some confusion, and I had to personally clarify some of the restrictions to people so they understood,” he said.

       “But the good news is that they were asking questions, because they wanted to make sure they were sticking to the restrictions and the guidelines out there, versus unintentionally bending the rules.”

       The survey also found that the pandemic has spurred some controversy and strife in close relationships. Twenty-two per cent of respondents reported a “falling out” with someone close to them over different views and opinions about the pandemic.

       Story continues below advertisement

       Not everyone was equally likely to break restrictions. Younger people were more likely to ignore gathering limits across the board, while residents of Quebec and on the Prairies were more likely to break indoor gathering limits than elsewhere in the country.

       Despite the survey’s results, Merriman said it’s clear that people have generally been following restrictions throughout the pandemic.

       “Every time we increased the public health guidelines, our numbers either plateaued in the next few weeks or started to calm down,” he said. “So there was good comprehension of that.”

       All of Quebec now at lowest pandemic alert level as restrictions continue to ease All of Quebec is now at the lowest alert level under the province’s COVID-19 response plan as public health restrictions continue to ease.

       Nine of Quebec’s 17 regions, including the province’s largest cities and the areas surrounding them, move from yellow to green on the pandemic alert level system as of today.

       The province’s other regions were already at the green level.

       Story continues below advertisement

       Several green zone restrictions were relaxed further today, with up to 20 people now allowed to share a table on restaurant and bar patios.

       Outdoor gatherings on private property can also now include up to 20 people.

       Capacity for weddings and funerals is also rising to 250 people, but wedding receptions will be capped at 25 attendees indoors and 50 outside.

       Toronto administers record number of vaccinations at Scotiabank Arena clinic Toronto says it has set what it believes is a new world record for most COVID-19 vaccines administered in a single day, at a single clinic.

       The “Our Winning Shot” clinic at the Scotiabank Arena vaccinated 26,771 people yesterday.

       The previous record – set in Texas in April – was 17,003.

       Story continues below advertisement

       Public health officials have released an online chart that provides guidance for mask-wearing and physical distancing in various scenarios for fully vaccinated Canadians. Before the chart was released on the Health Canada website, Dr. Howard Njoo and Dr. Theresa Tam said the advice is "nuanced" and they are urging people to follow local restrictions and assess their risk based on the situation and their personal health concerns. The Canadian Press

       Sign up for the Coronavirus Update newsletter to read the day’s essential coronavirus news, features and explainers written by Globe reporters and editors.