MIAMI – Some Floridians have been day drinking their way during the pandemic.

A survey of 3,100 Floridians who said they drink, by AlcoholRehab.com, found that 14 percent admitting to drinking alcohol before midday since the beginning of the pandemic. This equates to more than 2.4 million people.

An unofficial rule among drinkers is that it’s acceptable to have your first alcoholic drink at 5 p.m. – no earlier.

However, “It’s five o’clock somewhere” has become a cheeky catchphrase among modern-day drinkers of when they can have their first drink.

In a year like no other, things that would have only happened occasionally in pre-pandemic times, such as day drinking, have now become more commonplace.

Since the start of the pandemic, 15 percent said they’re more likely to start drinking earlier in the day.

Broken down across states, Nebraskans were most guilty of pre-midday drinking with 27% of its population saying this has been the case since the start of the pandemic. West Virginians, on the other hand, were the least likely to have cracked one open before midday.

More than 1 in 10 (15 percent) people admit they look forward to special occasions, like birthdays as an excuse to drink alcohol earlier in the day.

As we approach summer, it seems many will be bending their own personal drinking rules – nearly half (47 percent) of those who claim that they never drink before midday, say they are likely to break this rule during an upcoming summer vacation.