A new survey suggests a quarter of Canadians believe warnings from public officials about the threat of COVID-19 are overblown.

The majority of those people reported they have eased up on mask-wearing in public, avoiding large gatherings and trying to maintain a two-metre distance between people.

Regionally, respondents in Alberta were more likely to believe the threat was embellished, followed by Atlantic Canada and Quebec, with Ontario at the bottom.

Younger respondents were more likely than those over 55 to believe statements were being exaggerated.

The online poll by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies was conducted Sept. 11 to 13 and surveyed 1,539 adult Canadians.