WESTPORT — Gov. Ned Lamont issued an executive order Thursday giving power to municipalities to implement additional mask protocols.

“Municipal leaders will now have the option of moving beyond the minimum requirements in the statewide policy on masks,” Lamont’s office said.

The current state policy, implemented in May, requires that unvaccinated people wear masks while in indoor public places, and that masks are required for everyone, regardless of vaccination status, inside certain settings, such as public and private transit, childcare and healthcare facilities, and schools.

“There are some pockets of the state that are lagging behind others,” Lamont said, “and some leaders in those areas have requested the option of requiring everyone to wear masks until they can get their vaccination rates higher.”

First Selectman Jim Marpe said he will meet Friday morning with leaders from other area municipalities through the Western Connecticut Council of Governments (WestCOG) to study options and look at ways to create consistency across the region.

“The COVID virus knows no municipal or county boundaries,” he said in a statement Thursday night, “and a significant portion of our workforce commutes into Westport every day from areas of the state that may have had less success in vaccinating their population.”

“Westport residents have been very diligent in getting vaccinated, with full vaccination rates approaching 90% for the eligible population,” he said.

Marpe said he will be working with the COVID Emergency Response team to consider what additional steps the community should take.

“Westport has already re-instituted the requirement for everyone vaccinated or not, to wear masks indoors in public buildings as recommended by the CDC and the state Department of Health,” he said.

“In the meantime, I encourage everyone to wear a mask indoors,” he said, “particularly in any crowded setting and — for those who are eligible to be vaccinated and have not done so — to please get vaccinated.”

Lamont said likewise.

“While I continue to strongly advise that everyone wear masks while inside of public locations as recommended by the CDC, I urge everyone to get vaccinated because it’s the best thing you can do to protect yourself from this ongoing virus,” he said.

As part of Executive Order No. 13A, Lamont is also requiring that all unvaccinated nursing home staff be required to get weekly COVID tests.