Two years ago, the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Hidalgo County.

Jonathan Hogan remembers what March 21, 2020, felt like. Hogan says at the time, he felt fear not just for himself, but for the rest of his family.

"My parents, they're getting older and I was more concerned that—what if they got it because when it first started we were more concerned about the elderly or immune-compromised," Hogan said.

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Experts say that fear is not uncommon, even now, two years after the pandemic hit home.

"Mental health professionals have seen an increase in need for care treatment and services among individuals of all ages," said Joseph Garcia, director of clinical services for STHS Behavioral.

As COVID-19 cases increased, clinicians started to see more patients feeling grief and anxiety.

Valley resident Jim Harlan says he still feels fear today, even with the numbers dropping and the county now considered medium risk.

"It's still a scary situation, because there's other variants that's going around now," Harlan said.

However, professionals are asking people to move forward.

"There's certainly ways that our community can practice effective coping,” Garcia said. "One is to identify who your support system is."

Once you have that locked down, Garcia says expressing feelings and emotions is often a great way to release stress.

If you don't have a support system, finding a counselor or professional to speak to is your best option.