West Tisbury’s board of health has imposed a townwide mask mandate for all indoor spaces frequented by the public, and recommended a vaccination requirement for town employees.

The mask mandate, which went into effect just after midnight Friday morning, requires face coverings for all people over age two except when a medical condition or disability prevents an individual from wearing one.

“It’s something the town of West Tisbury feels we have to do at this juncture,” town health agent Omar Johnson told the Gazette, citing rising numbers of Covid-19 cases on the Vineyard.

The strict new mandate, which the board approved Thursday evening, applies to all public spaces and private spaces where the public is admitted and will remain in effect “until transmission rates on Martha’s Vineyard decrease to a level determined to be safe by the West Tisbury Board of Health,” according to an announcement Mr. Johnson posted on the town website.

Restaurant patrons are allowed to remove their masks only when sitting down, while people attending indoor performances must wear them except when eating or drinking.

Masks are also required on dance floors and when standing at or ordering from bars and counters.

Lodging places, houses of worship, fitness centers and establishments offering personal-care services are also covered by the mandate, which makes no exception for performing strenuous exercise but does allow temporary mask removal for facial and beard care.

Violations of the mandate can result in fines from $25 to $300, Mr. Johnson said, adding that he and his assistant will enforce the rules both in response to calls and during their regular rounds of West Tisbury businesses.

“Some of them already require masks, which is a big help,” the health agent said.

The town board of health is empowered to impose the mask mandate without a supporting vote from the select board, which had already mandated indoor mask-wearing for town employees.

But the vaccination requirement is a more complicated matter, town administrator Jennifer Rand told the Gazette Friday afternoon, because the

select board is only one of West Tisbury’s six separately elected government bodies, which also include the town finance committee, board of health, board of assessors, planning board and library board, all of which control their own staffers.

Each board must meet in public session to vote on the health board’s recommendation, said Ms. Rand, who is trying to set up a six-way joint meeting next week to accomplish the task.

“My hope is that we see six identical votes,” she said.

The meeting, when scheduled, will take place on Zoom, following another recommendation from the board of health that the town return to virtal public meetings. Ms. Rand said some public hearings that have already been announced must proceed in person, but subsequent government meetings will be held online.