Why were we kept in the dark?

REGARDING the article in the Dagenham Post dated July 15, regarding "School closed as teachers fall to Swine Flu".

My son has just fallen ill with Swine Flu he already has health problems and is waiting a operation on his tonsils and one of his kidneys.

He misses a lot of time off school due to this, and was off school last week with tonsillitis.

My mum phoned the Education Department at Barking Town Hall and spoke to the attendance officer, my mum asked the man could you please tell me if Swine Flu is in Richard Ailbon School as my grandson goes to the school and he has health problems and if its in the school my daughter needs to know, he told my mum that Swine Flu was not in Richard Ailbon school, and it was not in Barking and Dagenham, I also phoned Richard Ailbon School on Friday to ask them if the school had reported cases of Swine Flu and was also told no, then on Monday my son went to school and was sent home with a letter saying there was two cases of Swine Flu in Richard Ailbon school, on Monday night my son became ill with a cough and aching limbs, after calling a GP and my son being seen I was told he had Swine Flu he has been given Tamiflu my son is very ill, what I would like to know is why on Friday my mum was told Swine Flu was not in Richard Ailbon school then again on Friday afternoon I phoned Richard Ailbon and asked them was there Swine Flu in the school and was told again no Swine Flu was not in the school.

I understand that these things printed in the Dagenham Post as to be into the Dagenham Post Office by midday Monday, so it can be printed on the Wednesday, a friend of my mum's who works in a school in Dagenham said it has been in the schools for one to two weeks, what I would like to know is why I was told it was not in Richard Ailbon and I understand there is more cases of Swine Flu in Richard Ailbon School, my son being one of them.

B Thomas

Lowey Road

Dagenham