Dear Express Explained reader, We have entered the third year of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the trend in daily case numbers is worse than a year ago. On January 1 and 2, India detected 22,775 and 27,553 new infections (data from 24 hours previously); on the first two days of 2021, these numbers were 19,079 and 18,177 respectively. Also, the numbers from a year ago were on a falling graph - they continued to trend broadly downward until about the third week of February 2021 before making the turn that culminated in the high second peak of May - whereas now, they have been on the up from around the time of Christmas. But then, we have entered this new year fortified with more than 145 crore doses of vaccine, and well over 60 crore adult Indians are now fully vaccinated. Vaccinations for adolescents open tomorrow, and booster shots for the elderly on the Monday after. We have more experience and data, and we are hopefully better prepared than last year. All studies so far indicate that Omicron, which is driving the current wave, is much less deadly - even if more transmissible - than Delta. We're understandably anxious, but there is reason for cautious optimism. In our series of year-end reports that looked at what 2022 might bring, Amitabh Sinha summed up our Covid situation as it stands today. Do read. Also in our year-end series, Manoj C G flagged the key political pointer to watch this year - the polls in UP, Punjab and Gujarat that will test the BJP's election machinery, and the Congress's (increasingly weakening) claim to be the nucleus of the opposition. Udit Misra analysed the nature and shape of the expected economic recovery — the reasons for optimism, the concerns that persist, and the factors that will determine the outlook going forward. Shubhajit Roy wrote on aspects of the diplomatic and strategic challenges that lie ahead for India, and Nandagopal Rajan looked at technology in 2022 - what you can reasonably expect with 5G, your smartphones, and the new ways of working and living. (Nandu got it mostly right last year, so don't miss this one!) Stay safe and stay aware. Keep reading The Indian Express Explained. We wish you a healthy and informed New Year. Sincerely, Monojit (monojit.majumdar@expressindia.com) If you received this newsletter as a forward, you can subscribe to it here | Do read our Explained articles here | .png)
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