Norwich — Reversing his position from last week, City Manager John Salomone announced this weekend he will institute an indoor mask mandate for all public places and for businesses where social distancing is not possible for employees.

The mandate for anyone age 2 and up takes effect at 12:01 a.m. Monday and runs through Oct. 22 “unless terminated sooner.” Exceptions are allowed for people with medical conditions that prevent wearing of masks, for people who are eating and drinking and for people working alone or separated from others with partitions.

Salomone said he issued the order after Gov. Ned Lamont last week reiterated his stance that he would leave it up to cities and towns to decide whether to issue indoor mask mandates. Councils of government held a news conference Friday asking Lamont to issue a uniform mandate.

Salomone said Sunday he still prefers a uniform statewide or regional approach. But with New London and Groton already having issued indoor mask mandates, and Norwich still in a high infection category, he decided to issue the mandate.

Norwich had an infection rate of 29.8 cases per 100,000 population from Aug. 1-19, and as of Aug. 20, only 52.9% of the city’s eligible population has been fully vaccinated, according to state data.

“When (Lamont) decided we’re on our own, it changed my thinking,” Salomone said Sunday. “New London and other bigger cities and towns in the state are doing it.”

Salomone issued a two-page “Declaration of Emergency for the City of Norwich” that cited Lamont’s executive order granting municipalities the ability to require masks or face coverings indoors regardless of vaccination status.

Salomone’s order mandates masks in indoor public spaces, except while eating, and “in any private indoor business, and in places of employment, where social distancing is impractical, unlikely or difficult to maintain.”

Salomone reinstituted a mask mandate for city offices and agencies in early August as COVID-19 cases started rising again in the region.

c.bessette@theday.com