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SINGAPORE - At least 350,000 workers in Singapore are still commuting to work daily, even after the number of services considered essential was reduced on Wednesday (April 22) to further control the local spread of the coronavirus.
This is according to calculations based on latest official figures.
National Development Minister Lawrence Wong had said on Tuesday that the cut in the number of essential services would reduce the proportion of the workforce commuting to work from 20 per cent to 15 per cent.
He also said the decision to have fewer essential services was prompted by the fact that many of the local infections which occurred after the April 7 start of the circuit breaker period, involved those working in essential services or who had family members that were.
With the local workforce in December 2019 standing at 2.36 million, 15 per cent of this works out to about 353,000 workers.
This number rises to around 567,000 if foreigners are included, as the total workforce in Dec 2019 is 3.78 million.
More recent statistics are not available and Manpower Ministry figures show the country's workforce grew from 3.71 million in 2018 to 3.78 million last year.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singap...ngapore-after-reduction-in-essential-services