Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is not sure he would send his children back to class if they lived in Quebec as the province plans to reopen elementary schools amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Trudeau paused when he was asked the question on Sunday evening on Radio-Canada’s Tout le monde en parle television program.
“I don’t know,” he said. “And it will be a decision that is extremely personal for many parents.”
Trudeau explained that his children attend a French-language school in Ontario, where schools are closed until at least May 31.
READ MORE: Quebec rolls out first phase of recovery plan as province eases coronavirus measures
However, Trudeau said that if he had to make a decision, he would have to take different factors into consideration, including the school’s plan, how the teachers are feeling and how recess would work.
“I would make that decision probably at the last minute,” he said.
The prime minister added that the pandemic — which has led to more than 59,000 cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, across Canada — has been hard on kids.
“It’s tough on children because they want to see their friends,” he said. “They don’t understand but they know it’s important. The idea of going back is maybe fun, but they are worried.”
Parents have also been dealing with anxiety throughout the health crisis, according to Trudeau.
“It’s so tough on parents,” he said.
In Quebec, elementary schools and daycares are set to gradually reopen beginning on May 11 in most regions. The Greater Montreal area, which is hard hit by the virus, is expected to follow suit on May 19.
The plan to resume classes has sparked a debate in the province, with parents and teachers’ unions expressing concerns over safety. Premier François Legault has defended the strategy but said that he is open to making adjustments or delays if necessary.
The province ordered all schools, from elementary to university, to physically close in mid-March to limit the spread of COVID-19. High schools, CEGEPs and universities will not reopen until the fall.
READ MORE: Quebec says English school boards will not mandate reopening
Aside from education, the province — which accounts for more than half of Canada’s cases — has enacted a staggered plan to relaunch parts of the economy and lift travel restrictions throughout the month.
There are more than 31,000 confirmed cases in Quebec. The respiratory illness has killed more than 2,200 people to date.
— With files from the Canadian Press