Parents working on checklists to get their children ready for
the start of school have an important health item to include:
required immunizations. In Tennessee, children enrolling in
school for the first time and all children going into seventh
grade must provide schools with a state immunization certificate
before classes start as proof they have had immunizations
necessary to protect them and their classmates from serious
vaccine-preventable diseases. “We understand the challenges of
getting children ready to start school; having immunization
certificates completed and ready helps make the start of school
go more smoothly,” said Kelly Moore, MD, MPH, medical director
of the Tennessee Immunization Program. “Getting vaccinated is a
safe and simple way to protect us all from potentially deadly
diseases, and it helps ensure children won’t miss important
classroom time due to a preventable illness.” Most insurance
plans, including TennCare, fully cover recommended and state-
required childhood vaccines, as well