DOVER — A small number of those 65 and older were vaccinated Saturday ahead of Phase 1B to test out distribution as the state looks ahead to the next phase, officials said.

"The select group of 65 and over was included to help with a test of a technology project that will be used to register and process vaccinations in the next phase," Andrea Wojcik, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Social Services, said in an email.

She added that the state does not yet have the number of seniors who were vaccinated Saturday. Not all seniors received vouchers to the event, and only needed to present a photo ID, she said.

She added that, "due to increased risk of allergic reactions and more involved medical history" there may be a longer process for those aged 65 or older to go through the vaccination process.

That includes potentially longer observation times after the vaccine is administered, she said.

" wanted to review that effect on the drive-through clinic process, again in preparation for the next phase," she said.  

The state has been ramping up its vaccination effort in a “sprint” to finish vaccinating those in Phase 1A by holding mass drive-through events at the Division of Motor Vehicles. Three are taking place this weekend at the Dover DMV.

But confusion stemmed Saturday from allowing a small group of those not in Phase 1A to be vaccinated, sparking backlash online.

In a Facebook post, state Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf wrote that after several people were vaccinated outside of Phase 1A, they posted online that anyone could be vaccinated. 

“That is not the case,” he wrote. “A few people went through and should have been challenged but weren’t primarily because the staff doing the vaccination is made up of volunteers and they didn’t have access to a database to verify that they were first responders. Others arrived and got vaccinated because friends that I just described called them or posted online and told them to come get vaccinated because they had gotten theirs.”

Despite posting to the DHSS Facebook that the state would be strengthening restrictions ahead of Sunday and Monday’s vaccination events, with only those in Phase 1A —  health care personnel with direct contact with ill patients or infectious material, emergency medical services agencies, long-term care staff and long-term care residents — eligible to be vaccinated, people ages 65 and over were again invited to get vaccinated Sunday.

Phase 1B contains those over the age of 65 and different categories of essential workers. The essential workers include first responders (firefighters and police) and education workers (teachers, support staff and child care staff), as well as employees in the food and agriculture, manufacturing, corrections, U.S. Postal Service, public transit and grocery store industries.

The state has previously said that it hopes to see vaccinations for Phase 1B start by mid- to late January.

This story has been updated.