CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- With 129 confirmed cases in the United States, those in Chicago say the novel coronavirus warrants warning, but not much else.
"It's being overblown a bit in how scary it is."
"This sort of mass hysteria doesn't help anyone."
In fact coronavirus fears have emptied store shelves with panic purchases of face masks, soap and hand sanitizer.
But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say there's little immediate risk of exposure to this virus.
Still, the public is taking what they call, reasonable precaution.
"I'm more aware about what I touch, people coughing, and make sure I wear my gloves."
"I mean I've always washed my hands a lot, but I'm doing it way more obsessively."
"To be honest I think the majority of us aren't really doing anything differently because we already take hygiene quite seriously."
The epidemic has spread to 81 countries around the world, infecting at least 95,000 people and killing more than 3,200.
But more than 50,000 coronavirus patients have recovered and been released from isolation.
Older people and people with certain underlying health conditions like heart disease, lung disease and diabetes are at greater risk of serious illness.