LEE COUNTY, Fla.- The Lee county Health Dept. has begun expanding its hours leading up to the start of public school. The goal is to give parents more time to get the proper vaccinations for their kids. Children may be turned away otherwise.

"We often have very big crowds of people on the first and second days of school, with parents who have to suddenly get the shots for their kids. The schools will turn them away if they don't have the proper vaccinations," said Diane Holm of the Lee Health Dept.

"I think this is a great idea," said Laurel Thomas, who showed up to get shots for her children.

The clinic will be open Monday through Friday, 7am til 6pm, starting Monday July 31st. It will keep those hours through Thursday Aug. 9th. On Friday the 10th, the clinic will open at 8:00 a.m. and close at 3:30 p.m. It amounts to an extra 14.5 hours a week of clinic operations.

"It is a great experiment. We believe it will help and cut down on lines and waits. But if it does not do so, we will have to try something else," said Holm of the health dept.

There is no cost to taxpayers. Nurses and administrators are adjusting their schedules so they can fill the extra hours.   Public schools in Lee County open Aug. 8th.