Thailand’s Disease Control Department said today (Sunday) that the vendor, who was thought to have become infected with COVID-19 after she was vaccinated was, in fact, infected prior to inoculation.

The department’s deputy director-general, Dr. Sophon Iamsirsithavorn, said today that the 29-year seafood vendor, at Kitti Market in the Bang Khae district of Bangkok, was tested on March 13^th, which was negative and she did not exhibit any symptom related to the disease.

He said, however, that the vendor lived in a high-risk environment and the second test confirmed her infection.

Dr. Sophon cited information, from Thai virologist Dr. Yong Poovorawan, that the best “vaccine” is to protect oneself from becoming infected in the first place.

He further disclosed that, so far, 150,107 doses of vaccine have been used to inoculate people in Thailand and only two of them developed severe side effects. They were treated and recovered.

Meanwhile, commenting on a paint splashing event, held in Chiang Mai last week, Disease Control Department Director-General Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong explained that the organizer had received permission to hold the event, but enforcement of health and safety measures was lax.

Regarding the upcoming Songkran festival, in mid-April, he warned event organizers to exercise caution and not to lower their guard, to prevent the spread of the virus.