Waterford – Police were called to CVS at 106 Boston Post Road on Thursday because of a group of about 10 people from Long Island who were trying to get vaccinated and refused to leave, police and local officials said.
The problem started earlier this week. First Selectman Rob Brule said he received a phone call a few days ago that people saw an increase in out-of-state cars at CVS.
He referred the matter to Steve Mansfield, director of the Ledge Light Health District, who sent it to the Connecticut Department of Public Health. Mansfield said his understanding was that DPH paid a site visit on Thursday. He noted that only people who live or work in Connecticut are eligible for the Connecticut vaccine.
Brule said in a statement, “I appreciate the Ledge Light Health District and the Department of Public Health for respecting our concern that out-of-state people are trying to get vaccinated for our residents.”
Police Chief Brett Mahoney said police were called to the scene.
“Eventually there was a call from DPH, saying that there are people in New York who are trying to get vaccinated, refusing to leave, so we went there to alleviate the situation,” he said.
Mahoney said there are about 10 elderly people on Long Island who have told officers they can program through CVS. But when they arrived at CVS, they were informed that they were not eligible.
The police chief said the people eventually left without getting vaccinated.
Mahoney noted that Waterford police “are dealing with Connecticut criminal law, not vaccinations” and that police are not trying to apply anything around vaccinations.
CVS spokesman Mike DeAngelis said the company was analyzing the situation and had not contacted Waterford police. He said CVS meets current state eligibility requirements to receive a COVID-19 vaccine: individuals must live or work in Connecticut and must also be 75 years of age or older, a medical worker or first physician facing risks of COVID-19 exposure. , or a staff member or resident of the long-term care institution.
“We reserve the right to cancel a vaccination meeting if it is established that the information provided to determine eligibility is not true,” DeAngelis wrote in an email. “We recognize that there is a high demand for COVID-19 vaccines. As more becomes available and eligibility expands, we look forward to increased access to vaccinations in more stores and more people. ”
The issue came at Governor Ned Lamont’s press conference on Thursday afternoon. “You have to live here in Connecticut or work here in Connecticut,” he said. “You have to identify yourself as such when you connect to, say, that CVS site to make that vaccination schedule. You will need to show proof of where you are from and you will need to show proof that you are over 75 years old. “
Operations Director Josh Geballe added that the state can consider whether there has been insufficient notification in the programming system about eligibility. DPH spokeswoman Maura Fitzgerald said DPH “will continue to work with suppliers to ensure that their appointment systems properly examine eligibility”.
A Long Island woman who appeared in Waterford on Thursday said she told CVS several times that her 86-year-old mother was from New York and not working in Connecticut, but that CVS said it was okay to go. , reported NBC Connecticut. CVS spokeswoman Tara Burke said it was the patient’s responsibility to read the criteria and make sure they met Connecticut requirements before registering with the pharmacy system.