Lunar New Year: Celebrations for Year of the Tiger are muted but bring hope

A person holds joss sticks while praying for good fortune on the eve of the Chinese Lunar New Year at Tai Hong Kong Shrine in Bangkok, Thailand (Sakchai Lalit/AP)

People across Asia are preparing for muted Lunar New Year celebrations amid concerns over coronavirus and the virulent Omicron variant.

But increasing vaccination rates have raised hopes that the Year of the Tiger might bring life back closer to normal.