It's fair to say that for many people, the past few weeks have been tough. Quarantines and strict lockdown rules have forced many of us to remain indoors, and the images of desolate bars, closed shops, and empty cities have given the pandemic an apocalyptic quality.

But this week British bystanders would be forgiven for thinking they were dealing with an alien invasion, after a video emerged on social media showing a Dalek patrolling the streets, ordering locals in the immediate area to self-isolate.

Take a look at the footage of the real-life Dalek in the video below:

[[jwplayerwidget||https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/UCeBDlCq-izxriqNH.mp4||UCeBDlCq]]

The video shows a Dalek, a pepper-pot-shaped extraterrestrial menace from the BBC science-fiction series Doctor Who, trundling past houses in a street in Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire. The intergalactic conqueror can be heard stating in its distinctive staccato, ring-modulator voice: "All humans will self-isolate by order of the Daleks."

Per The Daily Mail, the video was later shared on Twitter by police from Tayside in Scotland, along with the caption referencing the Doctor's time machine the TARDIS, and the Dalek homeworld of planet Skaro.

They wrote: "Our colleagues in Skaro Division have deployed their Direct Action Local Enforcement Kops to ensure everyone is following guidelines about isolation and social distancing. We recommend everyone uses their Totally Awesome Rightly Distanced Isolation Systems to comply."

Jodie Whittaker, who portrays the 13th Doctor, posted the following message to fans:

[[jwplayerwidget||https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/R3l9ThYO-izxriqNH.mp4||R3l9ThYO]]

This video comes just a few days after actress Jodie Whittaker, who currently portrays the 13th incarnation of the Doctor, posted a video in-character urging her fans to self-isolate and giving them some tips, stating: "I’m actually just self-isolating – or as I like to call it, hiding, from an army of Sontarans. But keep that to yourself."

As of yet, there have been no sightings of any Cybermen, Weeping Angels, or Autons. Perhaps they're staying indoors as well...

'Dalek' filmed patrolling village ordering citizens to stay inside