Late last year my elderly mother was taken to hospital by ambulance in her home city of Baltimore. Since my mother and father, who is 93, live alone, I was concerned about their welfare. There is no one in my extended family who lives in Baltimore and was able to provide support for them.
On December 10 I flew to Baltimore for a four-day trip and self-quarantined for 14 days on return, as per health and travel guidelines.
I carefully weighed the decision to travel and out of concern for my parents, made the decision to proceed with the trip. During my trip, I strictly followed COVID-19 safety protocols and guidelines, including quarantine rules. I felt it was important to travel at that time. This trip was not a vacation.
As president of UBC, I am grateful to the many public health professionals and researchers, both at UBC and beyond, who are working hard behind the scenes and on the front lines to protect us from COVID-19. I remain committed to doing my part to help bring an end to this global pandemic.
Santa J. Ono
President and Vice-Chancellor