LOCKPORT — An expanded schedule of swine flu immunization clinics was presented to the Niagara County Board of Health on Thursday, the same day the Health Department received 5,000 doses of the vaccine, its biggest shipment so far.

Public Health Director Daniel J. Stapleton said the Health Department will offer flu shots from 2 to 5 p. m. Saturday in conjunction with a long-scheduled rabies vaccination clinic for pets in the North Tonawanda Public Works garage, 758 Erie Ave.

Both seasonal and swine flu shots will be available at that clinic, with no appointments necessary.

However, the swine flu shots will only be made available to people in what are regarded as the high-risk groups: pregnant women, people with pre-existing conditions making them vulnerable to the H1N1 virus, and people age six months to 24 years.

“We’re not swaying from that at all,” Stapleton said. “We won’t serve the general public until all the priority groups are served.”

Despite reports this week that the number of new swine flu cases is declining in Western New York, Dr. Thomas Hughes of Lockport, outgoing president of the Board of Health, predicted another spike is coming.

“I don’t think there’s any maybe about it,” he said, referring to a possible “third wave” to follow the high levels of swine flu cases this spring and fall.

“We don’t want the public to have a false sense of security,” added John Reardon, chief operating officer of Niagara Cerebral Palsy, who was chosen Thursday to succeed Hughes as board president for 2010.

Although most of the county’s large-scale clinics will be in schools, another one for the North Tonawanda public — at least those in high-risk groups — is planned for Jan. 14 in the Gratwick Fire Company hall, said Elaine Roman, the department’s planning and information director.

Stapleton said the next school swine flu clinic will be Dec. 11 in Newfane Elementary School, a change from earlier plans to hold it in the district’s Early Childhood Center.

Students in other district schools will be bused to the clinic, which will run from 10 a. m. to 7 p. m.

“The concept is to do the high school and middle school students first, and then later in the day the elementary students, who would probably bring their parents,” Stapleton explained.

A similar format is expected to be used for school swine flu clinics Dec. 15 at Barker and Jan. 7 at Royalton-Hartland.

For the much larger Lockport district, Stapleton said the plan is to vaccinate high school students at school Jan. 29 and then hold a daylong clinic for all elementary and private school students Jan. 30 in the high school.

Niagara Wheatfield is expected to host a swine flu clinic sometime in February. Later, clinics are expected in other school districts.

Also, the Health Department is offering weekday clinics, by appointment only, in the Trott Access Center in Niagara Falls and sometimes at other locations. The appointments, again only for priority groups, can be made by calling 278-1903.

“It’s a small, steady stream, but it’s every morning, every afternoon, and it will continue,” said Wanda Smiley, the Health Department’s director of patient services.

The department’s first school clinic, at Starpoint on Nov. 21, resulted in 1,100 immunizations, far fewer than expected. Stapleton said he thinks that’s because private doctors have been receiving swine flu vaccine, some of it relayed by the county.

The Health Department has received a total of about 13,000 vaccine doses since the H1N1 outbreak began.

But Roman said the school clinics remain important because an estimated 13,500 children in Niagara County lack health insurance.

Stapleton said, “So far we’ve been able to reach people who really need it. Our multiple approach is working well.”