However, it says it did not have a choice. The department reported the vaccinations happened at the very beginning of the vaccine rollout. Spokesperson Amy Bate noted the department received these doses between Christmas and New Year's Day. This was before the state opened the vaccination process to people in the general public over the age of 70; before anyone had registered to receive it. Bate reported those vaccines were earmarked for first responders and health care workers, but many of those people declined. The doses delivered had been thawed and some vials had already been opened. "We had vials of vaccine that was thawed and it has to be used in a certain amount of time. When you open it, it has to be used in a shorter amount of time," Bate said.