STEWART COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM

IMMUNIZATION COMPLIANCE

Tennessee Department of Health (TCA 49-6-5001 through 49-6-5002) requires immunization compliance for school attendance to minimize the incidence of vaccine preventable communicable diseases.

1.  The required* immunizations for school-aged children which must be met to obtain a Tennessee School Immunization Certificate consists of:

DTP/DtaP/DT/Td                  4 or 5 doses:  A 5^th dose is not required if the 4^th dose is given after the 4^th birthday.  Only 3 doses are needed if DT or Td must be used and the first dose is given after 12 months of age.

Polio                                       3 or 4 doses:  If the 3^rd dose is given after age 4, the 4^th dose is not required. If the child has received both OPV and IPV, a total of 4 doses are needed regardless of age.

Hepatitis B                             2 or 3 doses:  Required for Kindergarten entry (3 doses) and 7^th grade. For adolescents, a 2-dose vaccine preparation is available.

MMR                                       2 doses:  Required on or after the 1^st birthday; first dose may be given no earlier than 4 days before the 1^st birthday.

Varicella (Chickenpox)         1 dose:  For Kindergarten entry only.  Required on or after the 1^st birthday; may be given no earlier than 4 days before the 1^st birthday.  Parental or physician diagnosis of chickenpox also meets requirement.

*Required immunizations are defined as those required by law.  However,

most health departments and physicians would recommend more than the

required doses.

2.  The required* immunizations for pre-school-aged children which must

                be met to obtain a Tennessee Pre-School Immunization Certificate consists

     of:

DtaP/DT                     a dose at: 2 months, 4 months, 6 months and 12-18 months

H. influenzae (Hib)    a dose at: 2 months, 4 months, 6 months and 12-18 months (Dose 3 at 6 months not needed if a three dose Hib vaccine preparation is used. Two or 3 doses at 6 months is acceptable.) (One dose of Hib vaccine administered on or after 15 months of age completes the immunization requirement, regardless of the total number of doses.)

Polio                           a dose at: 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, and 12-18 months (The 3^rd dose of Polio vaccine may be given at any time between 6 and 18 months of age)

Measles/Mumps/       One dose at 12-18 months. (Required on or after the

Rubella (MMR)          first birthday; may be given no earlier than 4 days before the first birthday to meet the requirement.)

Varicella                     One dose at 12-18 months.  (Required on or after the first

(Chickenpox)             birthday; may be given no earlier than 4 days before the first birthday to meet the requirement.) ( Parental or physician diagnosis of chickenpox also meets requirements.)

3.  Recommended (not required) Vaccines:

           Several vaccines against serious childhood diseases are recommended

           for all children, but are not required for school attendance.  These

           include vaccines against pneumococcal disease, hepatitis A, influenza,

           and, beginning at age 11, meningococcal disease. All children should

           be age-appropriately immunized with all recommended vaccines to

           prevent these serious childhood illnesses.