Waterford — Police were called to the CVS at 106 Boston Post Road on Thursday due to a group of about 10 people from Long Island who were trying to get vaccinated and refusing to leave, police and local officials said.

The issue began earlier this week. First Selectman Rob Brule said he got a call a couple days ago that people saw an increase in out-of-state cars at the CVS.

He referred the issue to Steve Mansfield, director of Ledge Light Health District, who referred it to the Connecticut Department of Public Health. Mansfield said his understanding was that DPH did a site visit on Thursday. He noted that only people who live or work in Connecticut are eligible to get the vaccine in Connecticut.

Brule said in a statement, "I appreciate Ledge Light Health District and the Department of Public Health for following through on our concern, that people from out of state were attempting to receive vaccinations that were allocated for our residents."

Police Chief Brett Mahoney said police were called to the site.

"It was ultimately a DPH 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," he said.

Mahoney said there were about 10 elderly people from Long Island, who told officers they were able to schedule through CVS. But when they arrived at the CVS, they were informed they weren't eligible.

The police chief said the people ultimately left without getting vaccinated.

Mahoney noted that Waterford police "deal with Connecticut criminal law, not with vaccinations," and that police aren't trying to enforce anything around vaccinations.

CVS spokesperson Mike DeAngelis said the company is looking into the situation and didn't contact police in Waterford. He said CVS is following the state's current eligibility requirements to receive a COVID-19 vaccine: Individuals must live or work in Connecticut and must also be 75 or older, a health care worker or medical first responder who faces risk of exposure to COVID-19, or a long-term care facility staff member or resident.

"We reserve the right to cancel a vaccination appointment if it is determined that information provided for establishing eligibility is not truthful," DeAngelis wrote in an email. "We recognize there is high demand for COVID-19 vaccines. As more supply becomes available and eligibility expands, we look forward to increasing access to vaccinations in more stores and to more people."

The issue came up in Gov. Ned Lamont's news conference Thursday afternoon. "You gotta live here in Connecticut or work here in Connecticut," he said. "You gotta identify yourself as such when you sign on to, say, that CVS site to make that appointment for your vaccination. You're going to have to show proof of where you're from and you're going to have to show proof that you're over the age of 75."

Chief Operating Officer Josh Geballe added that the state can look into whether there was not enough notification on the scheduling system about eligibility. DPH spokesperson Maura Fitzgerald said DPH "will continue to work with providers to ensure their appointment systems properly screen for eligibility."

One Long Island woman who showed up in Waterford on Thursday said she told CVS several times that her 86-year-old mother was from New York and didn't work in Connecticut but that CVS said she was good to go, NBC Connecticut reported. CVS spokesperson Tara Burke said it's the responsibility of the patient to read the criteria and make sure they meet Connecticut requirements before registering in the pharmacy's system.

e.moser@theday.com