The coronavirus has become impossible to ignore.

As thousands across the world fall ill and Britain experiences its first deaths, we went to Strand Street to see how its affecting residents.

We are residents if they are concerned about the virus coming to the island, if they have changed any of their habits, such as cleaning their hands more, and if they think the whole thing is being over hyped by the world’s media.

Nula Tyson, of Gansey, said she is being cautious about the virus but said that ’we have to trust the government’ on how to protect against it.

She added: ’I do think the media is driving fear.

’News companies have to sell papers at the end of the day.

’I have taken small steps like washing my hands more and avoiding touching things like the lift buttons in M&S.

’But I still plan to go on holiday so I’m not making drastic changes.’

Miss Tyson admitted she is concerned this year’s TT festival will be cancelled and hopes it will still go ahead.

Graham Clucas, of Douglas, said he is ’not really’ concerned about the corona virus but because of his charity work he has become more aware about washing hands.

He said: ’I meet a lot of people and shake a lot of hands so whenever I see a soap dispenser or sanitizer, I do wash my hands but I don’t carry anything around with me specifically.’

Mr Clucas added that ’on one level’ people should be cautious about coronavirus but they should not panic.

He added: ’On another level, maybe it is the media making a panic - they need to sell papers and get viewers.’

Mr Clucas had organised a conference for his charity Quing this past weekend which was affected by the virus as a speaker who was coming from Australia had their flight cancelled.

Brother and sister Jim Gibson, of Port Erin, and Claire Bellis, who was visiting from Wrexham, said neither of them are overly concerned about the virus.

Mrs Bellis said: ’With the numbers rising in the UK, if you’re in one of the vulnerable categories then you’d be worried.

’I have a friend, living in the UK, who has been ill recently and she won’t go out of her house.’

Mr Gibson added: ’At the minute, I’ve just been going about life as normal.

’I’m not washing my hands any more than I was, but if there is an outbreak here, then I will do.

’I do think the whole thing has been overblown by the media to a degree.’

Mrs Bellis agreed and said: ’It is bad, but for most people, they say it will be just like a bad flu and most people will get over it.’

However, Mark Withey said he doesn’t think the coronavirus is being blown up by the media and noted that based on the mortality rate, millions could realistically die from the virus around the world and we need to be cautious without overreacting.

His wife Janet added: ’It’s better to have an over-reaction, than an under-reaction.’

He added:’I saw the BBC report of hand washing where people miss their finger nails and the backs of their hands.

’I’m washing my hands as often as I would normally, but maybe just a bit more thoroughly.’

Mrs Withey said more careful washing of her hands is something she too has taken up and erred on the side of caution.

She said: ’People say it couldn’t happen here in a pandemic, but realistically it could.

’Everybody just needs to think about their sanitation a bit more, particularly if they are in one of the risk categories.

’I’m more concerned about my mum, she lives in Edinburgh, where people have already tested positive.’