The London Health Sciences Centre has revealed that CEO Dr. Paul Woods travelled to the U.S. numerous times amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis to visit family.
In a statement released Friday afternoon, the LHSC revealed Woods had gone to the U.S. five times since March 2020, including most recently from Dec. 19 to 25.
“The Board of Directors is aware Dr. Woods continued to travel for personal reasons given the separation from his immediate family and the Board supports his continued leadership of LHSC,” Amy Walby, Chair of LHSC’s Board of Directors said.
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“At a meeting of the elected Directors of the Board, Dr. Paul Woods received the support of the Board, and we believe it is in the best interest of the system to maintain stability at the CEO level at such tumultuous times.”
Woods, a Canadian citizen, has green card status in the United States and made the trips to visit his immediate family.
LHSC said Woods, who lives alone, ‘followed public health guidelines’ and mitigated risk by driving across the border, staying in one place while in the U.S., and quarantining upon his return.
News of this trips comes as a number of politicians have recently come under fire for making trips out of the country over the holidays.
For months health officials and the federal government have been advising people against international travel because it leads to the spread of the coronavirus.
All Ontario residents were told to stay home and not interact with those outside their immediate households over the holidays in an effort to prevent a further surge in COVID-19 cases.
“I will no longer be traveling until federal restrictions limiting non-essential travel are lifted. Hindsight will always be 20/20 and I cannot turn back the clock,” Woods said.
“What I can do is take accountability for my decision to visit with immediate family out-of-country and fully apologize. Please accept my deepest regret for my actions.”
More to come.