New Yorkers ejected from vaccine site in Connecticut

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CVS vaccination program

Select CVS locations in several states will begin giving the COVID-19 vaccine to people by appointment. (Produced by FOX 5 NY with source video courtesy of CVS Health)

About 10 people who had made appointments at a Connecticut CVS to get the coronavirus vaccine were ultimately not allowed to be vaccinated because they did not live or work in the state.

The director of the Ledge Light Health District said a site inspection on Thursday at a Waterford CVS found a group from New York waiting to be vaccinated, The Day reported

To be eligible for the vaccine in Connecticut, a person must be age 75 or older, a medical worker or first responder, a resident or worker at a long-term care facility — and live or work in the state. 

Select CVS stores to offer COVID-19 vaccine starting Feb. 11

Police responded to the CVS but said they are responsible for enforcing criminal law, not rules around vaccinations.

"It was ultimately a (Department of Public Health) call, saying that there were people from New York trying to get vaccinated, refusing to leave, so we went there to kind of mitigate the situation," Waterford Police Chief Brett Mahoney told the newspaper.

Vaccine wait goes on for New Yorkers with health problems

First Selectman Rob Brule told the newspaper he had received calls this week reporting that there were out-of-state license plates in the parking lot of the CVS and referred the issue to the local health department. 

A spokesperson for CVS Tara Burke told the newspaper that it is the responsibility of patients to make sure they meet residency requirements when they make an appointment to get vaccinated.