CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — May is Mental Health Awareness Month and some people may have felt stressed or anxious due to having to stay indoors because of the pandemic. Now people are able to go out to public events like the Buc Days carnival.
The CDC reports that anxiety and depression due to the pandemic have gone up at least 5%.
Things like getting together with friends at the carnival was non-existent last year and for some first-time carnival attendees like Victoria Smith, last year's quarantine was difficult because she was pregnant, so seeing her daughter make new friends at the carnival is giving her a sense of normalcy.
“It’s nice to just be outdoors and again just to see people and to see the community and have everybody having fun again,” Smith said.
Others like fifth grader Emmalee Hidalgo are enjoying the carnival after not being able to go to school in-person.
“It’s much funner because me and my brother get to like explore the world more,” Hidalgo said.
Carnival attendee Jesus Trevino said the rise in people getting vaccinated against COVID-19 makes him feel more comfortable to be in public spaces.
“With the vaccine out…it makes people think that they’re a little safer to get out with other people and that’s what I mean about people getting together now….being able to get out and see other people,” Trevino said.
Betty Morales, who is visiting the carnival from Colorado, said she’s glad to be able to spend time with her son for Mother’s Day weekend. She said she’s glad she doesn’t have to worry about going back to Colorado and having to quarantine like she did last year.
“This is amazing! This is a lot of fun! This is when families can come together and be out in the open and have fun and stuff like this. They need to open up a lot more because you know what families need it, families need the fresh air,” Morales said.