Norwich — The city’s COVID-19 rate dipped below the red zone line last week for the first time since October, prompting city officials to start planning to reopen some offices and functions by late spring.

Norwich’s COVID-19 case rate fell to 13.2 per 100,000 population last week, below the 15 mark that starts the state red zone for high infection rates. During the fall and winter surge, Norwich’s COVID-19 infection rate jumped well above 100 cases per 100,000.

City Manager John Salomone said Friday that while the declining trend in COVID-19 infections in the city is good news, he is not yet ready to fully reopen city offices and functions to the public. City Hall has been open by appointment only since last March, and most city meetings are being held by video or teleconference.

“I don’t want to think we’re out of the woods yet,” Salomone said. “We have to see how new openings in the state will affect the infection rate over the next two weeks.”

Gov. Ned Lamont eased some restrictions on restaurants and private gatherings starting Friday.

Salomone hopes to open City Council meetings to in-person public attendance of about 40 people starting April 5, the night he presents his proposed budget to the council. That meeting also will feature a public hearing on a proposed Business Master Plan District for a second business park in Occum.

Attendees still must wear masks and maintain required social distancing.

City government offices will remain open by appointment only. Salomone said he will allow several more weeks for staff to receive COVID-19 vaccines before opening offices fully. That could occur by late May, if COVID-19 infection numbers remain on the downward trend, he said.

Lee Ann Gomes, director of the city Human Services Department, which includes the Recreation Department and Rose City Senior Center, said Friday some limited small-group recreation programs have run in person, including karate and dance. The Recreation Department and Youth and Family Services have been running many programs online.

The Recreation Department is accepting applications from outside groups for use of city recreation fields and basketball courts for this spring and summer. Groups must maintain social distancing and mask-wearing requirements, including for spectators, Gomes said, which was a problem last year.

“We put the basketball hoops back up, and people were honking their horns and whooping as they drove by and saw us do that,” Gomes said.

Gomes said she will meet Wednesday with Senior Center Director Michael Wolak and the senior center program coordinator to discuss plans to reopen the Rose City Senior Center. Many seniors have been vaccinated, so Gomes hopes to reinstate some less risky activities, such as chair exercises, strength training and yoga.

The center’s foot care clinic has been open for one patient at a time, with others waiting in their cars. The senior center never stopped transporting people to medical appointments and shopping, Gomes said. The facility has been used for the past several weeks as a COVID-19 vaccination clinic, which has worked very well, Gomes said.

“We’ll be going slow,” she said of reopening the senior center. “There’s no date yet. We’re aiming at end of May.”

Norwich Public Utilities also is reopening public access slowly, spokesman Chris Riley said. Starting Monday, the Customer Service Center at 173 N. Main St. will be open by appointment only with occupancy restrictions, barriers and social distancing required. NPU continues to encourage customers to contact the utility online or by phone if possible.

NPU will resume allowing utility employees to enter customers’ homes and businesses for scheduled work, including non-urgent and preventive work, with social distancing and mask requirements by employees and customers.

“Should the rate of infection increase in Norwich or the region, we will quickly reevaluate these standards and consider returning to our previous protocols,” Riley said.

Most NPU employees will continue to work remotely, he said.

c.bessette@theday.com