Dangerous games
Sage scientists advised against playing board games at Christmas. Some games to consider if you are feeling subversive:
Pandemic Co-operative board game inspired by 2003 Sars outbreak in which players pool their talents to defeat a deadly disease. Was stocked by the unlikely gift shop at the US Centers for Disease Control.
Corona Battle Against Covid-19 German game where players battle to defend their businesses against the pandemic.
Plague Inc. Players compete as diseases to infect the greatest number of people.
Viral Players compete to try to infect a human body, braving its immune system.
Infected One person plays plague doctor, while the others are villagers competing to try to stop him infecting the village.
And one for Chris Whitty or Sir Patrick Vallance: Infection: Humanity’s Last Gasp Solitaire game where you try to command scientists to defeat deadly diseases.
CAP in hand
Which constituencies received the most in payments from the Common Agricultural Policy last year?
Fermanagh and South Tyrone (Sinn Fein) £56.7m
Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (Con) £53.5m
Dumfries and Galloway (Con) £52.8m
Brecon and Radnorshire (Con) £51.0m
Penrith and the Border (Con) £50.6m
Ceredigion (Plaid Cymru) £43.5m
Only four constituencies received nothing: Barking, Erith Thamesmead, Liverpool Wavertree and Southend West.
Source: House of Commons Library
Shutting up shop
How many businesses have permanently ceased trading as a result of Covid-19?
Real estate activities 5.7%
Administrative/support service 5.4%
Transportation and storage 5.0%
Education 3.5%
Information and communication 2.7%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.3%
Accommodation/food service 1.5%
Manufacturing 1.4%
Source: ONS
A deadly year
How do overall deaths (from all causes) in 2020 compare with recent years, when you adjust for population size and composition? At week 46, cumulative deaths were:
11.2% higher than in 2019.
6% higher than the past ten years’ average.
3% higher than in 2010, the previous most deadly year of the past decade.
Source: Institute and Faculty of Actuaries
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