Knox County Schools and the Knox County Health Department (KCHD) encourage parents to get their child’s state-required immunizations completed before school starts on Monday, Aug. 11, 2014. In Tennessee, students entering seventh grade are required to have the Tdap (tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis) vaccine and two doses of the varicella (chickenpox) vaccine. Parents must provide their school with an immunization certificate, proving their child has received the required vaccinations, before the first day of school.
Tennessee's vaccine requirements follow recommendations from the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Both the vaccines and the immunization certificates are available at pediatrician offices or at any KCHD location.
- Where: You may get the vaccines and the immunization certificate from your pediatrician or the Knox County Health Department, 865-215-5150.
- When: The school must have your child's immunization certificate with proof of the vaccines (or chickenpox) before the first day of school, Monday, Aug. 11, 2014.
- Questions: For more information about the school immunization policy, call 865-594-1800. To see if your child has proof of the required immunizations, contact the medical office or clinic where your child receives vaccinations.
Please note: The varicella vaccine is NOT required if your child has had chickenpox. In this case, you must provide the year your child had chickenpox to the pediatrician or health department staff who will be issuing the new immunization certificate.
For more information, please email the Knox County Health Department at health@knoxcounty.org.
Immunization Requirements for all Students
Children enrolling in school for the first time and all children going into seventh grade must provide their school with a state immunization certificate before classes start as proof they’ve had all the required immunizations. Click here to see the immunization requirements for all students.
