NBC News Created: July 14, 2021 02:39 PM Is it COVID-19 or a common cold? It's a question a lot of families might be dealing with amid an unusual summer surge in cold cases. While it's not the usual time of the year for lots of sneezing, sniffling and coughing, parents are bringing their kids to the doctor be treated for respiratory infections like the common cold. "At the peak of the pandemic when everyone was staying home and everyone was in a mask. Gosh, it sure was nice not to catch colds and not to see a significant flu season. And that's because masks work," said Dr. Christina Johns with PM Pediatrics. "Now we're starting to see more gatherings, less masking, and that means more of the virus is starting to circulate."